[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6328622,"mediaKeyId","2318573-ae4af17fec10e9bf6dd9283e7b3ba5ec","parentId",2318573,"title","Alaska officials report progress on SNAP backlog, but warn IT, staffing reversals and rural access remain issues","audioSeconds",3951,"startMs",1599000,"endMs",5550000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2318573-ae4af17fec10e9bf6dd9283e7b3ba5ec&start=1599&end=5550","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2318573-ae4af17fec10e9bf6dd9283e7b3ba5ec/thumbnail_1599000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6328622/Alaska/Alaska-officials-report-progress-on-SNAP-backlog-but-warn-IT-staffing-reversals-and-rural-access-remain-issues","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6328622-00080d2b2b7306435ad2d80865e32985/orig.mp4?Expires=1776148735&Signature=Qh5zkokjoBAhKJ8ufNBcPcPzTPL~pfUID1AKfDd6Qdkg2LufXk6Hy-eHMFPHvsx8OkzuV7T7Xlo7NQaa1ekL8vk6tMp9tpjL63956971Ljqp-YL4z9n~-~zrX4rgPDQ3K5NuZnY2JmCZlYtZhWCyJrVXUgNv5rMr9LWFyFw6lT-DZzvyN4sQM-hpIAisGtC794U44f2JRs~f8mRbgz7dVusawMrNxFs6IqWgryiuVq9Ral2EEM3QceEJw3hHU5i2l-WWwZFDd9UEUmqCmEXzX5cWuBDUR~Dv8PO14gquvVvnKd37xm~VMwd7fQa18iWTUi5nHMHLTi6z4AZhsyxgcw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alaska Legislature","date","2025-02-13T00:00:00Z","article","Department of Health and Division of Public Assistance officials told the House Finance Committee on Feb. 13 that they have reduced long-standing application backlogs but face ongoing technical, staffing and rural-access challenges.

Director Deb Etheridge and Commissioner Heidi Hedberg said the division originally faced roughly 36,000 outstanding applications across public assistance programs in early 2023. Hedberg said a combination of business-process redesign, staffing and temporary contractors addressed much of that need; Etheridge told the committee the apparent backlog figure in the agency's systems remains elevated because of duplication and legacy-system artifacts.

Why it matters: SNAP and Medicaid processing speed affects food security and health coverage for tens of thousands of Alaskans. Lawmakers pressed the department on whether ending one-time appropriations will reintroduce delays.

Key numbers and operations

- SNAP recipients: department presentation listed 65,778 monthly SNAP recipients.
- Timeliness: Hedberg said timeliness was 28% in March 2023 and has risen to a range of about 60% to 90%.
- Backlog counts: Hedberg and Etheridge described a figure of roughly 29,000 outstanding items across programs; Etheridge said about 21,000 of that total appeared in the Medicaid (MAGI) queue but that data duplication and system handoffs inflate the number.
- Staffing changes: Committee members were told two separate multi-year appropriations supported long-term nonpermanent staff: approximately 30 long-term nonperms associated with SNAP work and another ~30 tied to Medicaid eligibility determinations. Hedberg said those long-term nonperms and some contractual supports are ending when multi-year funding reverses.
- One-time grants: The department said a $7.5 million childcare grant appropriation was distributed to providers in January/February and a competitive food-security RFP was awarded to the Food Bank of Alaska.

IT and process modernization

Officials described several technology and process changes intended to sustain improvements: smart, multi-program online forms; a phase 2 client portal launching in summer to let users update demographics, view notices and check benefit amounts; expanded texting reminders to clients; a \"one-and-done\" intake model to process multiple benefits in one contact; and automated ex parte processes for some Medicaid redeterminations.

Etheridge explained that the department's ARIES system and legacy EIS can leave applications in a state that looks like an open application even when benefits are active because of interrupted handoffs. The department plans RFPs in 2025 to migrate non-MAGI Medicaid categories and SNAP off the mainframe and estimated completion of the integrated eligibility effort by 2028.

Rural access

Members from rural districts emphasized connectivity and phone access in villages. Etheridge described the fee-agent model for remote communities, under which a local fee agent (a trained delegate) can collect applications and preserve filing dates; the department said fee agents are paid about $25 per application and that those payments are state expenditures.

Committee follow-up and uncertainties

Lawmakers asked for additional information on current telework levels, exact staffing numbers, and more precise backlogs after the department's internal deduplication and data-cleaning. Hedberg and Etheridge promised follow-up: departmental staff said they would provide more detailed numbers and written responses to the management-letter items noted in a recent Legislative Budget and Audit management letter.

Ending: Department officials said they will continue to triage staffing and technology needs and will provide follow-up material to the House Finance Committee as requested.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House FINANCE 02/13/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Department of Health and Division of Public Assistance officials told the House Finance Committee on Feb. 13 that they have reduced long-standing application backlogs but face ongoing technical, staffing and rural-access challenges.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature Alaska, Alaska","taxId",78559,"location","Alaska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6328627,"Medicaid drives Alaska Department of Health budget; officials cite rebate and tribal reclaiming savings",735,661000,1396000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2318573-ae4af17fec10e9bf6dd9283e7b3ba5ec&start=661&end=1396","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2318573-ae4af17fec10e9bf6dd9283e7b3ba5ec/thumbnail_661000.jpg","/articles/6328627/Alaska/Medicaid-drives-Alaska-Department-of-Health-budget-officials-cite-rebate-and-tribal-reclaiming-savings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6328627-8d3f241d48ad509be84f1e8d9bdec86f/orig.mp4?Expires=1776148735&Signature=mYbOPDahOmLPCy8bMAruXZCLsUahK4~ta2jpSmvxSqmvEcfyzuzVhr0Yo6oQ3gDIqZ2mwclun-6Vu1H01-joiXa5IG1IZmTJUh3sx6utWbIMNEnElAzVg4JzCDq~Wb9YFqTHtF~xeHPd2ALNyegTpJpnmBgJQuJaaFTH5zsa-EuRIDyzI8n4BG3dBnbxYvNpwcjf1YUCWrYJMZefTIUfZAjwPRtfXoelbLiC3jTN89dX3cvtENjU3h6spUq1f0oyEOU5UEKDJM3AL7tZDtPoyb2NhspeJiT-ZH64l3LNsm3glQvdwx9k2yBmakCHWgzGSrQ0ylZESdTCJDHsY05xlQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Alaska Department of Health Commissioner Heidi Hedberg told the House Finance Committee on Feb. 13 that Medicaid represents about 80% of the department's FY26 budget request and remains central to the department's work and cost pressures.

The department gave lawmakers an overview showing a department budget of about $3.5 billion and a Medicaid services appropriation of just over $2.8 billion. Assistant Commissioner Pam Halloran told the committee that general fund represents roughly 26% of the Medicaid budget while federal authority represents roughly 74%.

Why it matters: Medicaid is the largest line in the department's budget and small changes in enrollments, eligibility policy or federal matching arrangements can materially affect state general fund obligations.

Department officials highlighted three revenue-offset efforts. Deputy Commissioner Emily Ritchie described growth in tribal reclaiming'the practice of claiming 100% federal match for services provided to tribal members who are Medicaid-eligible'which the department said rose from about $34 million in FY2017 to roughly $138 million in FY2024. Ritchie also said pharmacy rebate recoveries have yielded substantial returns: \"we have been able to leverage dollars 138,000,000 in federal rebates\" and an additional $26,800,000 in supplemental rebates, amounts the department said are shared between federal and state governments. Ritchie added that improved staffing and teams focused on pharmacy work have enabled additional recoveries.

Hedberg described a small request within the health facilities licensing and certification allocation: $962,500 in additional authority (about $295,000 federal and $667,500 general fund match) to align budgeted authority with actual expenditures and maintain staffing for state and federal certification and investigation of Title 18 and Title 19 health facilities, including hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and home-health agencies.

The commissioner also described a small Office of Health Savings in her office created to identify innovations to reduce costs. Hedberg said the office has secured \"several million dollars in technical assistance and grants\" and worked with the Department of Law to add two positions that the department says have driven roughly a 30% increase in subrogation activity (recoveries from third parties when Medicaid was incorrectly primary).

Committee members pressed the department for updated figures. Halloran said the department provided Medicaid projections to the legislature on Dec. 15 and planned to provide updated projections the week after the hearing so legislators could see late-starting items that affect the budget.

Ending: The department did not request an immediate legislative action during the hearing; officials said they will provide updated Medicaid projections and follow-up details on subrogation and licensing as requested by the committee.

","Alaska Department of Health Commissioner Heidi Hedberg told the House Finance Committee on Feb. 13 that Medicaid represents about 80% of the department's FY26 budget request and remains central to the department's work and cost pressures.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6328617,"Department seeks $1.5 million to sustain 988 crisis contact center as use increases",559,5447000,6006000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2318573-ae4af17fec10e9bf6dd9283e7b3ba5ec&start=5447&end=6006","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2318573-ae4af17fec10e9bf6dd9283e7b3ba5ec/thumbnail_5447000.jpg","/articles/6328617/Alaska/Department-seeks-15-million-to-sustain-988-crisis-contact-center-as-use-increases","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6328617-494fd7571f137d64e329c833ee6ccf62/orig.mp4?Expires=1776148735&Signature=kpRyI0R8FKGaXKnailG0W7L2t14wTch~re9ZQwiADMBPfbBsXFjGFZnCofGi8RU2aVGthem87BdB~b3vbP4-xNWG~Q5h--XdJhTrxqi~q~bn2OPLAGOOwj9IdJqvoHgXbwJSlRbTxaGalNdcIV7~4xqLNziTRCpDrJ2bDDKKNZiCPSkLj1He6ATd~-i64Dto-qhLQCmIggLL1MMy8Yj0UCHJV41VTkM~kJD1uc8CuxKbnIJsngCxIoK-ARLUnWjRFjfnXmCG0nb969y3meVzAH4tp0Ns6k9ZsvdGo0XET9niOpP~4~PAv6o25hx4W-O~st1gSJaeTxSYNGIObpIuSQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Alaska Department of Health told the House Finance Committee on Feb. 13 it is requesting $1.5 million to maintain the statewide crisis contact center that answers 988 calls and related crisis contacts.

Pam Halloran, assistant commissioner, said the request comprises $750,000 in mental health trust receipts and $750,000 in general fund mental health authority. The current crisis contact center contract began in 2022 and is scheduled to end June 30, 2025; department witnesses said use has risen following national and statewide promotion of 988 and that portions of prior support came from expiring federal sources such as American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Why it matters: The call center provides a confidential, toll-free line for Alaskans at risk of suicide or in emotional distress; sustaining coverage is a direct public-safety and behavioral-health capacity issue.

Officials said the division will issue a new request for proposals for the contract. Deputy Commissioner Emily Ritchie told the committee the center's work has evolved from a traditional suicide line into a broader crisis contact center that supports text and follow-up services and can link callers to appointments or other crisis response elements where available. Ritchie said the department received roughly $1.6 million in federal grant funding in late 2024 to plan and develop certified community behavioral health clinic (CCBHC) capacity in Alaska, which the department said would support planning and initial development work.

Committee members noted that sustaining a statewide call center does not, by itself, expand local crisis-response capacity in rural communities. Representative Hannon, who serves on the State Suicide Prevention Council, said Alaska still lacks sufficient on-the-ground crisis stabilization and response in many locations and urged continued investment in services that connect callers to local care.

Ending: The department said it will issue a new RFP to continue the crisis contact center and recommended continued legislative attention to ensure the center is linked to on-the-ground crisis-response capacity and stabilization services across the state.","Department of Health requested $1.5 million in FY26 to maintain the statewide 24/7 crisis contact center that handles 988 calls, citing increased utilization and expiring federal one-time funds; officials said federal grants will also support planning for certified community behavioral health clinics.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Alaska officials report progress on SNAP backlog, but warn IT, staffing reversals and rural access remain issues

Medicaid drives Alaska Department of Health budget; officials cite rebate and tribal reclaiming savings

Department seeks $1.5 million to sustain 988 crisis contact center as use increases