Alaska seeks outside consultant for Medicaid overhaul plans

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – Alaska is seeking an outside consultant to help review plans to overhaul Medicaid.

The Anchorage Daily News reported Monday that the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services issued a request for proposals last week offering up to $100,000 for analysis completed by the end of June.

Deputy Commissioner Donna Steward says the agency seeks input regarding its “potential model” for altering Medicaid.

The agency is considering shifting relatively healthy Medicaid recipients to subsidized private insurance plans and potential work requirements for some.

The department also wants to know whether a federal block grant would support those plans. No other state has previously used a block grant.

The request says Alaska wants to control health care costs and insurance premiums that are among the highest in the nation.
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Information from: Anchorage Daily News, http://www.adn.com