People with disabilities living in remote areas of the state have particular difficulty accessing health care services. Inadequate and unaffordable health care is major barriers to independent living and employment. The common needs of people with developmental disabilities include durable medical equipment, assistive technology, medicines and personal assistance services. These are rarely fully covered by health insurance. Appropriate mental health and substance abuse treatment are difficult to find because providers rely on cognitive treatment approaches that are not appropriate for people who have mental retardation and similar disabilities.
Health insurance is inadequate for people with all kinds of chronic health problems.
It is particularly difficult for a person who has more than one problem, such as mental retardation and depression or alcoholism. Federal laws permitting insurance parity have helped somewhat in some states, but that has not yet been the case in Alaska. High-risk insurance pools have been as helpful as once hoped. Alaska is one of the first states to implement the Medicaid buy-in. Starting October 2000, Alaskans with disabilities are able to buy into the state Medicaid program, enabling them to acquire and maintain jobs that do not have sufficient heath insurance to address their disabling conditions.