The Public Information Office issues news releases for the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services and serves as the first contact point for members of the media. Contact this department for public documents and other public information not available on the DHSS website.

The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services oversees programs regarding substance abuse, mental health and disease control. The department also works to improve health care access and develop a sustainable long-term care delivery system for seniors.

Alaska's Medicare Information Office is the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) and the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) housed together. The office is a unit within Senior and Disabilities Services, and it serves as a statewide effort to provide one-on-one counseling and public/media outreach.

The mission of the Division of Insurance is to regulate the insurance industry to protect Alaskan consumers.

The Alaska Division of Insurance has actuaries who supervise life and health rate and form filings and market conduct.

The Alaska Commission on Aging plans services for older Alaskans and their caregivers, educates Alaskans about senior issues and their concerns, advocates for the needs of all Alaskan seniors and collaborates with others to achieve desired outcomes that benefit older Alaskans.

The Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development oversees the energy, seafood and banking industries, as well as the insurance industry.

The mission of the Consumer Services Section is to educate consumers, investigate complaints, identify violations and facilitate resolutions. The director is advised of violations and serious issues that may constitute fraud are referred to the Fraud Investigative Unit.

The mission of the Alaska Pioneer Homes Division is to help older Alaskans have the highest quality of life by providing assisted living in a safe home setting that promotes positive relationships, meaningful activities, and physical, emotional and spiritual growth.

The Institute of Social and Economic Research enhances the well-being of Alaskans and others, through nonpartisan research that helps people understand social and economic systems and supports informed public and private decision-making.

The Division of Senior and Disabilities Services promotes health, well-being and safety for individuals with disabilities, seniors and vulnerable adults by facilitating access to quality services and support that foster independence, personal choice and dignity.

The Alaska Health Care Commission was recently established in state statute with the passage of Senate Bill 172 (SB-172) to serve as the state health planning and coordinating body, responsible for providing recommendations to the governor and the legislature on a comprehensive statewide health care policy and on strategies for improving the health of Alaskans. This bill was passed by the Alaska Legislature on April 17, 2010, and subsequently signed into law by Gov. Parnell on June 23, 2010.

The legislative relations liaison serves as the go-between for the Department of Health and Social Services and the legislature.

The 2011 Alaska Guide to Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) is available online to provide information about insurance coverage above and beyond standard Medicare service for Alaskans.

The Providence Senior Care Center is a primary care medical office for patients ages 55 and older.

The Alaska Primary Care Association has defined the values that should guide all of the group's activities and staff in the years to come. They are listed in order of importance: access to quality health care as a right; excellence within ourselves, in what we deliver, and within our membership agencies; collaboration, inclusiveness and cooperation in the delivery of our services; and a voice for the voiceless.

Access Alaska is a nonprofit organization that advocates for seniors and provides independent living services to people who experience a disability.

AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with a membership that advocates for people ages 50 and older. Since 1958, AARP has lobbied for senior issues, including the passage of Medicare in 1965. AARP offers support from staffed offices in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Alaska Comprehensive Health Insurance Association (ACHIA) was created by the Alaska State Legislature to provide access to health insurance coverage to all residents of the state who are unable to obtain individual health insurance. ACHIA includes Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) and Medicare Carveout coverage.

The objectives of the Retired Public Employees of Alaska are to educate retired and retiring public employees about their retirement benefits and to support the aims and objectives of the Alaska Public Employees Association/American Federation of Teachers.

The Alaska Association of Health Underwriters is a chapter of the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU). NAHU represents more than 100,000 licensed health insurance agents, brokers, consultants and benefit professionals across America. Alaska AHU and NAHU's vision is that every American will have access to private-sector solutions for health, financial and retirement security, and the services of insurance professionals.

The Senior Citizens Advisory Commission advocates for seniors in Anchorage and advises the mayor and assembly.

The mission of Alaska Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers Inc. is to provide affordable member services, help our agents stay informed and educated, and provide a voice for them on a state and national level.

The Juneau Commission on Aging promotes programs that benefit and enhance the health, safety and welfare of senior citizens. It also promotes maximum senior citizen participation in planning, development, operation and maintenance of facilities, services and programs designed principally to serve senior citizens.

The Alaska Medicare Clinic Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit outpatient health care clinic developed to meet the primary care needs of the Medicare-eligible population in Anchorage.

Older Persons Action Group is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to improving services, developing programs, and educating, promoting and implementing changes to foster self-determination of older Alaskan citizens.

The Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center is a federally funded primary care medical and dental clinic serving Medicare patients.

The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) is a national program that offers counseling and assistance to people with Medicare and to their families. Coordinators provide counseling on Medicare benefits, Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Part D), Social Security, Medicaid and veterans' benefits. SHIP, formerly the Information, Counseling and Assistance (ICA) grants program, was created under section 4360 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990. This act authorized the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make grants to states for health advisory services programs for people with Medicare.

The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program helps Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries avoid, detect and prevent health care fraud. The goal is to protect older people and to preserve the integrity of the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The federal program was created in 1996 by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and amended in 2006 by Titles II and IV of the Older Americans Act.

Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs) are private, mostly not-for-profit organizations, staffed by doctors and other health care professionals, who are trained to review medical care, to help beneficiaries with complaints about the quality of care and to implement improvements in the quality of care available throughout the spectrum of care. QIOs are required under Sections 1152-1154 of the Social Security Act.

The Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) were established under the Older Americans Act (OAA) Comprehensive Services Amendments in 1973 to respond to the needs of Americans 60 and older in every local community. The amendments added a new Title V, which authorized grants to local community agencies in every state. The AAAs provide a range of options that allow older adults to choose the home- and community-based services and living arrangements that suit them best.

The long-term care ombudsman advocates for residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities. The office resolves complaints and educates seniors and long-term care providers about their rights and good care practices. The ombudsman also provides information to the public on nursing homes and other long-term care facilities and services, residents' rights, and legislative and policy issues. In 1978, an amendment to the federal Older Americans Act required every state to have an ombudsman program that addresses complaints and advocates for improvements in the long-term care system. The ombudsman program is administered by the Administration on Aging (AoA).

Katherine Gottlieb, president and CEO of Southcentral Foundation, oversees the operations of Alaska Native Medical Center, a hospital that created a relationship-based health care system it calls the “Nuka System of Care.”

Annie Holt, who has 30 years of experience in hospital administration, joined Alaska Regional Hospital as CEO in October of 2009. Previously, she was CEO of Methodist Children’s Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, CEO of Indianapolis Women’s Hospital, and vice president of quality and service line development for the HCA Mountain Division. Holt served as chief nursing officer and chief clinical officer of St. Mark’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. She is currently a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

With more than 30 years of experience in hospital administration, Bruce Lamoureux has been with Providence Health & Services Alaska since 2006, when he assumed the role of senior vice president and CEO for the Providence Alaska Medical Center. He came to Providence after serving as president and CEO of a tertiary hospital in Los Angeles. He holds an MBA from the University of Southern California.

The Alaska House Committee on Health & Social Services is the legislative body of the lower house charged with vetting laws and bills governing health care and social services in the Frontier State.