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Alaska Primary Care Association

Alaska Health Center Policy Priorities

The APCA Board of Director Policy & Advocacy Committee annual draft legislative and regulatory priorities. These are reviewed by the APCA Board of Directors before the coming year’s Alaska legislative session.

Approved December 14, 2023

APCA and Alaska Community Health Center 2024 Policy & Priority Areas:

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Workforce

  • Advocate for licensure and reimbursement for Clinical Pharmacists (PAs)

  • Advocate for Physician Assistant licensure flexibilities (SB115 and PA licensure regulations)

  • Secure ongoing support for WWAMI School of Medical Education, University of Alaska health programs, and seek opportunities to expand access to clinical residency programs

  • Advocate to address critical delays in provider credentialing processes

  • Support legislation to allow Medicaid reimbursement for behavioral health providers (Master of Social Work-MSW and Doctor of Psychology-PsyD) providers in training

  • Support annual Alaska Housing Finance Corporation appropriation to support the Provider Housing Grant Program

  • Advocate for Community Health Worker (CHW) reimbursement through Medicaid for FQHCs and other provider types

  • Support access to quality early care and education opportunities for working families

Community Health Center Funding

  • Seek additional operating support through enhanced reimbursement and direct state support
  • Pursue capital funding for community health center infrastructure projects
  • Educate health centers and partners on alternate and value-based pay arrangements with public payors
  • Secure reimbursement for care coordination

Health Care Integration

  • Encourage the State of Alaska, Department of Health to establish an Office of Health Care Integration
  • Recognize that fully integrated care includes all aspects of health care including primary care, behavioral health, pharma, imaging, specialty providers, dental – all preventative as well as all medically necessary services and social drivers of health

Support Responsible Medicaid Reform

  • Maintain eligibility for Medicaid services to support access to care
  • Seek opportunities to increase the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) in Alaska

340B Program

  • Preserve 340B Drug Pricing Program for FQHCs, expanding access to care for patients and protecting health centers’ ability to invest savings into services to support medically underserved populations in Alaska

Oral Health

  • Incorporate oral health within the integrated care model
  • Increase awareness that overall health is closely connected to healthy gums, teeth, tongue, and mouth

Social Drivers of Health (SDOH)

  • Support wrap-around services and service delivery models that provide greater economic stability to Alaskans
  • Advance policy that supports Alaskans facing food shortages, housing instability and financial hardship