Mat-Su Health Foundation Supports Projects in Upper Valley

Members of the Mat-Su Health Foundation gathered for their annual meeting this week. A main topic of discussion was the 2023 annual report and how the Foundation is tackling high healthcare costs. But members were invited to provide testimony before other discussions began. 

Three members requested the Foundation membership be allowed to elect the Board. One member spoke specifically to the conservative nature of the community. The Mat-Su Borough Assembly voted last week in favor of a resolution that encouraged the Foundation to allow members to vote for the Board of Directors.

Foundation President and CEO Elizabeth Ripley says if that happens, Palmer and Wasilla would get all the funding and smaller communities like those in the Upper Valley would be left unrepresented and underfunded.

Prompted by high healthcare costs, the Assembly’s resolution also directed the Borough Manager to incentivize Borough employees to visit Alaska Regional Hospital rather than the Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. Ripley says sending dollars to Anchorage does not support the local community. She also says the Foundation is working with the community to improve access to healthcare and reduce costs. However, State-level decisions are keeping costs higher.

Ripley says building or borrowing a State-wide reference-based pricing system would set caps on the amount it will pay for a specific procedure. 

The Governor proposed an all-payer claims database this year, but it did not pass the legislature. That would mandate claims information be put into a database so it’s clear what is being bought and the outcomes of those purchases. 

Beyond tackling high healthcare costs, the Foundation’s grants fund many projects throughout the Borough. Foundation President and CEO Elizabeth Ripley says over time, they will be significantly increasing the amount of funding that goes back into the community. 

The Foundation must pay its share of the capital costs for the hospital expansions that support the growing population. She says the Foundation expects hospital revenues to decrease over time. The Foundation also is building an endowment that will be able to continue putting funds into the community. 

Nearly 15 million dollars in Foundation grant funding was awarded to more than 100 organizations in 2023. 

According to the annual report, about 25 percent of the grant funds overall went to Upper Valley organizations for various services including transportation, healthcare, education, and food. 

KTNA is a recipient of Mat-Su Health Foundation grant funds.