Senior Voice -

On Feb. 25, many of Alaska’s seniors woke to a disturbing surprise. They found a letter announcing unprecedented Pioneer Homes rate increases due to the Governor’s budget proposal. I am writing as the Representative of House District 20 to...

The question of limiting the profits of health insurance companies is sparking renewed national debate. The nation’s biggest health insurers have reported robust growth in recent years, due in large part to Medicare. All of the “big five” insur...

In life, death at some point is inevitable. While most accept that, many wonder, “Will it be comfortable?” When I was young I would say, “I hope I die in my sleep.” But later as an adult, I found that I no longer needed to settle for simply...

My name is Mike Coons and I am the President of the Alaska Chapter to the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC). I write to inform those Alaskan Mature Citizens that AMAC is alive and well in Alaska and we have had our first meeting in...

I moved to Alaska in 1982 to take a job in a fledgling nonprofit organization. By 1988 I had blundered into a teaching position at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Among other benefits included with the job was a traditional pension. At the time,...

I have treasured photos from prior generations and am guessing you may too. I will be sure my picture albums land in the hands of my children, but what happens to the photos I store online? Did you inherit stacks of record albums or maybe cassette...

Editor’s note: This commentary was received on May 25, 2017. Sometimes legislation in Congress has unintended consequences. This is one of those times. The American Health Care Act (AHCA) that recently passed in the U.S. House, and awaits action...

Under the guise of compassion, a Physician Assisted Suicide bill (HB 54) has been filed by Representative Harriet Drummond. This so-called “Right to Die” bill is nothing less than “State Sponsored Homicide”. Homicide is the “killing of one...

In the sixth grade, my daughter was working on a school project and began asking a series of questions about family economics: “How much is our house payment? What does it cost to heat the house? What do we spend on groceries?” Our family records...

As we age, the more we need reliable health care, and an important part of the aging process is access to quality emergency and trauma care. As Republicans are looking to keep their promise to voters to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), it’s...

Senior citizens are “super voters.” I like that moniker. I am proud of that moniker. And in the spirit of wanting to know how our state candidates (incumbents and challengers) would address issues of importance to seniors of all stripes I sent ou...

Rep. Diane Black, a Tennessee Republican congresswoman, and Earl Blumenauer, a Democratic congressman from Oregon, don’t agree on very much about health care. Both sit on the powerful House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee and both tend to vote...

We face difficult financial and political challenges in Alaska, but our state legislature is dysfunctional. We need to do more than sit on the sidelines and complain that politicians aren’t doing their jobs. We need and can do more to fix our...

Alaska faces unparalleled fiscal challenges threatening the hard-won financial and personal security of our elders. In the midst of such challenges it is prudent to utilize a wide and diverse array of policy tools to limit and counteract the damage...

Editor’s note: This press statement was received on May 27, 2016. U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has introduced S.2989, the Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act, in honor and appreciation of the Merchant Mariners who...

This letter, abbreviated here, was sent by the Alaska Commission on Aging to the Alaska Senate and House chairs on April 6, 2016, in regard to SB 139 and HB 256, which impose a $100 annual fee to be placed on the Pioneer Homes wait list. The letter...

Editor’s Note: This press statement was received on April 21, 2016. The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) — the nation’s largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging — is congratulating both President Barack...

Most Americans and leading presidential candidates on both sides of the aisle support the idea that the federal government should lower drug prices. But it's not likely to happen any time soon even though the Obama administration and Congress are...

During the 1980 recession, Alaska lost over 20,000 jobs, most of which were in Anchorage, where a majority of the oil, construction and related services were located. The 2015 reduction in oil prices have resulted in over a $3 billion state budget de...

“Pay it forward” is part of my educational philosophy. When we were children in public schools people around us paid taxes to educate us. Our parents and neighbors volunteered in schools, served on the PTA and voted. They voted for school bonds...

Keep track of bills, budget decisions and other issues by attending the Alaska Commission on Aging Legislative Teleconferences. Hosted by local agencies statewide, the teleconferences provide a convenient forum for seniors and advocates across...

I am writing this article for three reasons. First, in response to a statement made by Jonathan J. David in his article, “Deed helps avoid costly trusts, probate” in the June 2015 Senior Voice, which states “However, in the event your daughter...

Heroin is killing Alaskan children and grandchildren at alarming rates, and unless we do something to address the problem now, it will only get worse. Heroin-related deaths in Alaska tripled between 2008 and 2013. In 2012, the rate of heroin...

With a $3.9 billion dollar deficit, it’s important for the legislature to make big cuts, and we have. However, cuts to our most vulnerable seniors is a mistake, and that’s one of the issues we continue to debate. Established in 2007, the Senior...