Bill Overview
Title: Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium Land Transfer Act
Description: This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to convey specified property in Anchorage, Alaska, to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium for use in connection with health programs. The conveyance shall not require any consideration from, or impose any obligation, term, or condition on, the consortium or allow for any U.S. reversionary interest in the property. The consortium shall not be liable for any environmental contamination that occurred before the date on which the consortium assumes control of, occupies, and uses the property.
Sponsors: Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]
Target Audience
Population: Alaska Natives benefiting from health services
Estimated Size: 139000
- The bill transfers land to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, influencing their capacity to offer health services.
- This consortium likely serves a significant portion of the Alaska Native population with health services.
- According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are approximately 139,000 Alaska Natives, some of whom will be affected by the services facilitated by this land transfer.
- The consortium's services will likely improve healthcare access and resources for Alaska Natives.
- Alaska's total population is approximately 730,000, with a significant proportion being Alaska Natives.
Reasoning
- The policy impact is limited to the Alaska Native population, who are directly served by the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.
- The majority of the general U.S. population, aside from those in Alaska or with connections to the Alaska Native community, would be unaffected by this policy.
- Given the land transfer, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium might enhance its healthcare facilities, potentially raising the wellbeing of those it serves.
- The budget limitation suggests that the property transfer itself is low-cost, not involving significant additional expenditures immediately.
- The property conveyance is likely to have enduring benefits, as it increases the healthcare infrastructure available to Alaska Natives.
Simulated Interviews
Healthcare Worker (Anchorage, Alaska)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe this land transfer will help expand the healthcare services we can offer.
- It's great that we won't have to worry about previous environmental issues on the site, allowing us to focus on healthcare delivery.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Patient (Fairbanks, Alaska)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having more facilities and services closer to home will make healthcare much more accessible for me and my family.
- I hope this leads to better treatment options with the expansion.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Retired (Juneau, Alaska)
Age: 63 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I might not be directly affected by this policy, but improving healthcare access for Alaska Natives is a positive step.
- Better services might encourage more regional healthcare advancements.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Policy Analyst (Seattle, Washington)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As someone analyzing policies, this transfer is an effective step in empowering Alaska Native healthcare systems.
- It could serve as a model for future property transfers for healthcare improvements in other Native communities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Nurse (Anchorage, Alaska)
Age: 33 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- With better facilities, we could drastically reduce wait times and improve patient care.
- This opportunity can help us recruit more healthcare professionals.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Local Government Official (Bethel, Alaska)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy complements ongoing regional efforts to enhance healthcare for our people.
- It's crucial that this transfer supports expansions in preventative care offerings.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Teacher (Nome, Alaska)
Age: 36 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If the consortium uses this land for educational centers, it can foster community health knowledge.
- Good to see direct investments into health infrastructure that can educate and serve.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
University Student (Anchorage, Alaska)
Age: 22 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This is a great example of policy making a direct impact, and it's encouraging for students like me interested in this field.
- I look forward to seeing tangible improvements.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Healthcare Administrator (Los Angeles, California)
Age: 58 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy doesn’t impact my facility, but I see its importance for Alaska Native communities.
- Policy such as this could serve as a benchmark for evaluating resource allocation impacts.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Healthcare Advocate (Ketchikan, Alaska)
Age: 47 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The investment in property signifies an investment in the community’s future health.
- I hope this encourages other similar policies tailored to indigenous health needs.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000 (Low: $25000, High: $100000)
Year 2: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The bill is a straightforward land transfer with minimal direct financial implications for the federal budget.
- The policy aims to improve health service delivery for Alaska Natives, which could have broader social implications beyond immediate budgetary concerns.
- Environmental liability is explicitly not transferred to the consortium, reducing federal legal exposure.