State covers Medicare gap for retirees
The (ADN, Monday) article on the state budget includes the following statement: "Further, the state pays the health care costs for an even larger number of retirees, with 68,500 covered … including dependents." This is misleading.
Retirees and their dependents over age 65 are covered first by Medicare, after which the state may contribute to cover some of the difference or gap. So, that's a significant coverage of retirees' health care costs by Medicare, not the state.
Further, the state retiree health plan excludes health care costs such as flu shots and preventive screenings. So those "retiree health care costs" are not covered by the state. Preventive care, which saves money through early detection and treatment, is not promoted by the state for retirees that I can tell, so the public should not assume that all state retirees have all of their health care costs covered by the state.
Retirees under age 65, and their dependents, must pay out of pocket for some services normally covered by employee-type plans, which as the article pointed out tend to cost 35 percent to 50 percent and even to 100 percent more for certain procedures in Alaska. And of course, the state chose not to comply with the Affordable Care Act, so other limitations, such as lifetime limits, are in effect.
— Gary Rogers,
state retiree
Anchorage
Tidal power could be like moon mission
It is probably not surprising that we who live in a state where we pay no income tax and just received a fat Permanent Fund check derived from oil and gas are so little attentive to the issue of global warming. Even while a solid phalanx of climate scientists inform us that our current efforts are insufficient to protect the 7 billion of us who walk this planet spewing carbon, island nations are beginning to disappear along with ice fields, glaciers and other freshwater sources. Climate events costing us billions are ever more frequent. Solar and wind power are inadequate.
A solution which is barely mentioned, anywhere: tidal power. Trillions of tons of water rise and fall every day, in the oceans of the planet. A crash program involving Nobel scientists, students, prizes, and governments motivated as they were in getting to the moon, and in defending against each other could invent and design and install tidal power units all over the globe.
What are the odds we'll do it, do you think?
— Hal Post
Anchorage
'Pipeline watcher is now well-informed
For more than 40 years I have to admit, I was pretty naive regarding the "political landscape" in the 49th State. But now after watching several months of KTUU's "Alaska's Political Pipeline" hosted by Steve MacDonald, I am enlightened, informed and politically astute. Thank you, Steve and Channel 2.
— Ben Grenn
Anchorage
Fish comment doesnt pass sniff test
I was miffed by the recent statements from Alaska Energy Authority claiming that the proposed Susitna dam would actually improve fish habitat. This statement just doesn't pass the sniff test.
Luckily, Gov. Bill Walker doesn't seem to be buying the argument either. Walker made the right move when he axed the money supporting the dam from the state budget. Alaska simply can't afford this $7 billion dollar boondoggle and no misleading statement from the project manager will change that fact.
— Ryan Schryver
Anchorage
Think of our deployed soldiers; be grateful
I was feeling sorry for myself today until I met a young soldier and her baby daughter. I thanked her for her service, and she shared that her husband was also current military and being deployed to Afghanistan. My self-pity immediately turned to gratitude to this family and to all the other current and veteran members of our military. You give us a most precious gift. You protect our freedom to worship and believe as we choose, and to write a letter to the editor if we choose.
I honor you, I cherish you, I am so grateful for your service and sacrifice. I wish for each of you a safe trip home to your family and friends.
— Jacqueline Fries
Anchorage
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