(Anchorage) - Sen. Fred Dyson (R - Eagle River) and Rep. Peggy Wilson (R - Wrangell) will hold a joint House and Senate HESS Committee meeting on Thursday, October 6 at 10:00 a.m. in the Anchorage LIO to hear testimony on health care cost containment and service expansion efforts.

"Health care is costing the State of Alaska nearly a billion dollars per year and will soon consume half of the state's general fund budget. Thousands of Alaskans do not have health care insurance and are dependent on a flawed government heath care system to provide inadequate care on a rationed basis. This system begs for revision. We must give this situation our deliberate and thoughtful attention and move decisively toward principled solutions that work in the real world for Alaskans," said Sen. Dyson.

The preliminary agenda includes:

HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS - National experts will report on HSAs across the nation and the positive impact for the uninsured and on health care costs.

INTEGRITY IN HEALTH CARE BILLINGS - The Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association will report on industry efforts to bring clarity, transparency, and accuracy to health care costs and invoices.

PATIENT INFORMATION SERVICES. - The Division of Public Health will report on the State's plans to make health consumer information easily available through out the state.

COMMONWEALTH NORTH REPORT - Commonwealth North will summarize its recent study of Health Care in Alaska.

WHO: Joint HESS Committee Meeting
WHAT: Health Care Cost Containment Issues
WHEN: Thursday, October 6, 2005 @ 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: Anchorage LIO, 716 W. 4th Ave. #220

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