Good news for Alaskans as the Congressional Budget Office determines that our state would see substantial savings from the Senate health care bill.

Alaskans, who currently pay the highest health insurance costs in the nation for premiums purchased by individuals, would see among the largest insurance premium reductions, under the national health insurance reform bill pending in the U.S. Senate, according to a just-released congressional study.

U.S. Sen. Mark Begich welcomed the study results, saying the high cost of health insurance premiums is one of the major complaints he hears from Alaskans in the discussion of health reform.

The study, released this week by the Senate Finance and Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committees and based on estimates provided by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, says the current single policy insurance premium in Alaska averages $4,680 annually and the current family policy is $12,637. Both rates are the highest in the nation, with the national single policy averaging $3,658 and the national family policy averaging $9,876.
Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the bill pending in the Senate, single policy Alaskans could see a savings of $1,013 to $1,269 a year, while the savings for family policies could range from $1,769 to $3,426 annually.

"In part because only two health insurance companies provide coverage in Alaska, health insurance rates are the highest in the nation," Begich said. "The reform bill pending in the Senate is designed to lower health care costs by improving competition and choice, promoting better delivery of health care and cracking down on waste, fraud and abuse."

I think that this clearly defines just which of our political leaders are putting the needs of the Alaskan people before their partisan political agenda, and which ones are not.

Senator Murkowski and Congressman Young can wax poetic about the problems of "big government" intrusion all they want, while genuflecting toward their big business overlords, but the facts on the ground are that the people who voted for them will benefit if this legislation passes and that is something they should keep in the forefront of their minds as we move toward the next election cycles.

If they think THIS will not be a huge bludgeon to be used against them in their re-election bids then they simply have not been paying adequate attention to the voices of the Alaskan people. We have never NOT had government intrusion in our lives, and it doesn't really bother most Alaskans so long as it provides more benefits then costs, and this legislation fits that criteria.

I think Don Young is finished, and cannot hope to get re-elected again, but Lisa still has a good shot at keeping her job. She needs to decide if it is worth risking her bid for re-election to demonstrate solidarity with a crumbling Republican party, or if she should make a decision that benefits the voters of her state and trust they will reward her with another term in office.

The people or the party Lisa. Your call.