What They’re Watching: Rep. Ken McCarty, House Health & Social Services Committee

By

Shane Ersland

|

Rep. Ken McCarty (R-Eagle River), a member of the House Health & Social Services Committee, said one of his primary healthcare concerns is ensuring that providers are reimbursed adequately for the services they provide.

 

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“I’m concerned about our providers. To make sure they get paid. There’s a lot of money paid out to billing to collect funds, and this is something that the patients don’t really see. But providers are overwhelmed with the dynamic of billing. So how do we make that easier, and so insurance companies are held accountable to paying?”

McCarty is also concerned about the burden that falls on nurses in providing healthcare services, noting he supports the state’s involvement in the Nurse Licensure Compact.

“We are burning out our nurses in Alaska. The idea of having a compact with other states, an interstate compact, for licensing, I’m for that compact. I have not met a nurse who does not want that compact to happen because they’re so tired and they’re burning out.”