Cons of living in Alaska (Wrangell, Metlakatla: house, transfer to, buy)

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by akpls

Especially in Fairbanks!

Alaska has one of the most expensive and worst health care facilities in the nation. I posted the link to it somewhere in this forum.

This article is about how expensive it is:
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/...macare/489599/

[Metlakatla]

Message from Amazon Customer Service about something I ordered months ago:

Hello,

I'm sorry that the estimated delivery date for this order is not displaying properly in Your Account.

If I relate it to myself I can completely understand how frustrating and annoying the situation can be when something like this happens but believe us it was never our intention. Please accept my sincere apologies for this.

To make thing right for you, I personally contacted to our shipping department and give them special instruction to fix the inventory for this product and make sure to deliver your Package as soon as possible and I kept a note to our Inventory department to find the route cause for this.​​

I feel It is important and hence have passed on your experience (as a feedback) to my managers. I’m positive that this will be taken care on priority. Thank you for bringing your experience to our notice.​

Please be assured that we are here to make things easier for you and we'll take every action to prevent you from bearing any loss.

I realize this experience hasn't been as positive as you'd hoped, but I hope you'll consider this an isolated incident and give us another chance in the future.

Rest assured, we’ll continue working hard to ensure that you receive accurate service, and to minimize the chances of anything like this occurring again.

ffs. Route cause.

[Frostnip]

Heh. At least that suggests it's not a form letter?

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

Alaska has one of the most expensive and worst health care facilities in the nation. I posted the link to it somewhere in this forum.

This article is about how expensive it is:
The Lessons of Alaska's Faltering Health-Care System - The Atlantic

Interesting article.

On the other hand, we seem to be a fairly healthy state.

"..2015-Marking its fourth appearance since 2008 on the top ten list, Alaska secured the number one spot for the very first time.

..The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index uses a holistic definition of well-being and self-reported data from individuals across the globe to create a unique view of societies’ progress on the elements that matter most to well-being: purpose, social, financial, community and physical. It is the most proven, mature and comprehensive measure of well-being in populations. Previous Gallup and Healthways research shows that high well-being closely relates to key health outcomes such as lower rates of healthcare utilization, workplace absenteeism and workplace performance, change in obesity status and new onset disease burden.."

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by Blind Cleric

Interesting article.

On the other hand, we seem to be a fairly healthy state.

"..2015-Marking its fourth appearance since 2008 on the top ten list, Alaska secured the number one spot for the very first time.

..The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index uses a holistic definition of well-being and self-reported data from individuals across the globe to create a unique view of societies’ progress on the elements that matter most to well-being: purpose, social, financial, community and physical. It is the most proven, mature and comprehensive measure of well-being in populations. Previous Gallup and Healthways research shows that high well-being closely relates to key health outcomes such as lower rates of healthcare utilization, workplace absenteeism and workplace performance, change in obesity status and new onset disease burden.."

I wonder is such polls include the health status of individuals in the rural areas far from the three major cities? For example, alcohol and drug addition happens in the city all the time. But in the villages or areas where people live "off the grid," the health situation does not seem to be good for a great number of people. But everywhere, specially in the cities, obesity with its associated medical problems is taking a toll on Alaskans.

Just on the news recently:
Southwest Alaska village sees 3 overdoses, one fatal, in a few hours - Alaska Dispatch News

Per capita Alaska has one of the highest suicide rates in the nation. Perhaps this could be considered mental health?

Something else I found:
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2015/1...tes-in-us.html

[Metlakatla]

Ray, it was just a nonscientific poll that was conducted by telephone. It really means nothing.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Ray, it was just a nonscientific poll that was conducted by telephone. It really means nothing.

Thanks, Met for the clarification.

[Metlakatla]

Here's something that provides real numbers.

The Most (and Least) Healthy States: A Survey of All 50 - 24/7 Wall St.

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

Thanks, Met for the clarification.

"Means nothing". "Oh, OK".

Really? How can one possibly come to that conclusion? Feeling well has to have some meaning, even if nominal.

It would be interesting to compare individual's well being assessments with those of health care professionals on these same populations.

It's likely that folks would tend to overestimate the strength of their health, and under report obesity.
Still, people would probably be mostly honest about any conditions they suffer from, and everyone likes to complain about the health care system when given a chance.

The Street article indicated we're quite low for cardiovascular disease and diabetes compared to other states, and those are two of the biggies.

BTW, The CDC doesn't agree with your fan club:

"Well-being is a valid population outcome measure beyond morbidity, mortality, and economic status that tells us how people perceive their life is going from their own perspective."

[Metlakatla]

It means nothing with regards to the quality of health care in Alaska, which is what the discussion was centered around. The people who answered the phone when the survey was conducted may well have a higher sense of "well being" than their counterparts elsewhere who participated in the survey, but there doesn't appear to be a parallel between that and the quality of health care in the state. Factors such as the average resident being fairly outdoorsy, the physical nature of a great deal of available jobs, and perhaps even the propensity of many residents to go Outside for health care rather than trust the local quacks also certainly play a part. There probably also aren't many people moving here who have serious health conditions or to retire. It's also a bit difficult to take a telephone survey on well-being too seriously in light of the cold hard numbers of Alaska's suicide rate.

The fact remains that the substandard quality of health care in Alaska as well as its prohibitive costs is a major con for many residents and something that everyone considering relocation would be wise to take into consideration.

I pretty much agree with this guy; health care is bleeding the state dry.

How health care costs are bleeding Alaska dry - Alaska Dispatch News

The health care industry is sucking the life out of Alaska's businesses and state government. Slowing this massive wealth transfer of medical bills and insurance premiums is among the toughest economic problems we face.