When abortion may be an acceptable choice
May 21, 2008
National Post:
The Alaska gov who has been named as a possible running mate for John McCain is making headlines for her personal choice not to end her pregnancy.
Gov. Sarah Palin has just revealed her month-old baby was born with Down syndrome, a genetic condtions that impedes a child’s physical, intellectual and language development.
Warned early on through testing, Palin chose to wait until after delivering the 6lb 2 oz baby boy before speaking out. With four children at home already, a child with Down syndrome would present serious challenges, but she said in a statement she felt “privileged that God would entrust us with this gift.”
It’s clear where she stands. She is praised by the “pro life” movement, with activists asking God to “give America more women like her.”
Union censures state corrections commissioner
April 22, 2008
State corrections officers this afternoon publicly censured their boss, Corrections Commissioner Joe Schmidt, with a vote of “no confidence” announced by their union. Officials said the vote, which passed 514-19, was the first of its kind as far as they knew. Read more
Initiative to repeal hospital Certificate of Need rules stymied
April 18, 2008
Gov. Sarah Palin frightened Alaska hospitals when she proposed repealing Certificate of Need regulations that many say help them stay in business. Palin’s legislative allies, however, were unable to get floor votes in either the House or Senate this year. Read more
Certificate of need bill pits hospitals against ’boutique’ clinics
March 14, 2008
Alaska Journal:
Proposed legislation to repeal the state’s certificate of need program for equipment in major health care facilities is being eyed cautiously by many facility representatives who feel the program is key to the financial stability of community hospitals.
“(The Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association) recognizes the need to meet the challenges and issues facing the health of our communities, which is exactly why this program is so important,” said Rod Betit, president and chief executive officer of ASHNHA. “An overabundance of medical infrastructure would deny our community hospitals the revenue to provide needed care to everyone who needs it.”
Alaska Governor Introduces Health Care Transparency Act
January 28, 2008
Governor Sarah Palin has introduced the Alaska Health Care Transparency Act which will provide more effective tools to help Alaskans access affordable health care, and to ensure the health care system is responsive to changing demographics and market conditions.The Act includes some recommendations from the Health Care Strategies Planning Council and the Health and Social Services Certificate of Need Negotiated Rule Making Committee.
“I thank the members of these two committees,” Governor Palin said. “They worked diligently to evaluate the broad spectrum of the health care system in our state. After reviewing their work, I am establishing the Alaska Health Care Commission to further health care planning from a statewide perspective, by building on the work they have done.”
The bill would establish an Alaska health care information office to give consumers factual information on quality, cost and other important matters to help them make better-informed decisions about health care in the state. Recognizing that health care must be market-and business-driven, rather than restricted by government, Palin is proposing a repeal of the Certificate of Need program (CON).
CON is a regulatory process that requires certain health care providers to obtain state approval before offering certain new or expanded services.
Health and Social Services Commissioner Karleen Jackson concluded that the CON program does not benefit the citizens of Alaska, given the litigious environment surrounding it.
The reports from the two committees are available online at: http://www.hss.state.ak.us/commissioner/legislature/
Source: Government Technology
