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Administrative Order No. 246

I, Sarah Palin, Governor of the State of Alaska, under the authority of art. III, secs. 1 and 24, of the Alaska Constitution, and in accordance with AS 44.19.145(c), establish the Alaska Health Care Commission (commission) in the Department of Health and Social Services.

Purpose

The purpose of the commission is to provide recommendations for and foster the development of a statewide plan to address the quality, accessibility, and availability of health care for all citizens of the state.

Duties of the Commission

The commission’s duties are to:

  1. serve as the state health planning and coordinating body;
  2. consistent with state and federal laws, provide recommendations for and foster the development of a:
    1. comprehensive statewide health care policy;
    2. strategy for improving the health of Alaskans that includes
      1. encouraging personal responsibility in prevention and healthy living for all residents of the state;
      2. a reduction in health care costs for all residents of the state to be below the national average;
      3. access in communities of the state to safe water and wastewater systems;
      4. the development of a sustainable health care workforce in the state;
      5. quality health care being accessible for all residents of the state; and
      6. increasing the number of residents of the state who are covered by health care insurance; and
  3. submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature on or before January 15, 2010 regarding the commission’s recommendations and activities.

Membership

The commission consists of seven voting members appointed by the Governor, and the voting members serve at the pleasure of the Governor.

Voting members are:

  1. the chief medical officer of the Department of Health and Social Services, who shall serve as the chair of the commission;
  2. a representative from the tribal health community in this state;
  3. a representative from the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce;
  4. a representative from the Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association;
  5. a health care provider, who is
    1. actively practicing the provider’s profession in this state;
    2. licensed in this state; and
    3. not affiliated with the Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association;
      a representative of the health insurance industry in this state; and
  6. a health care consumer who is a resident of this state.

Non-voting members are:

  1. an ex officio, non-voting member from the executive branch, appointed by the Governor;
  2. an ex officio, non-voting member from the Alaska House of Representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house; and
  3. an ex officio, non-voting member from the Alaska Senate, appointed by the president of the senate.

Administrative Support

The commission shall employ an executive director, who may not be a member of the commission. The executive director serves at the pleasure of the commission. The commission shall establish the duties of the executive director.

The Department of Health and Social Services may assign employees of the Department of Health and Social Services to serve as staff to the commission. The commission shall prescribe the duties of the staff.

The commission shall, upon approval of a majority of its members and consistent with state law, adopt and amend, as necessary, bylaws governing its proceedings and all other activities.

General Provisions

Commission members do not receive compensation as members of the commission. Members of the commission who are not state or federal employees are entitled to per diem and travel expenses in the same manner permitted for members of state boards and commissions. Per diem and travel expenses for members of the commission who are representatives of a state or federal agency are the responsibility of that agency.

To reduce costs, the commission may use teleconferencing and other electronic means to the extent practicable, in order to gain the widest public participation at minimum cost.

Meetings of the commission shall be conducted in accordance with AS 44.62.310 and 44.62.320 (Open Meetings of Governmental Bodies).

Records of the commission are subject to inspection and copying as public records under AS 40.25.110 – 40.25.220.

This Order takes effect immediately.

DATED at Anchorage, Alaska this 4th day of December, 2008.

/s/Sarah Palin
Governor

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