AARP Alaska: $2.5 Million for Alaska's Seniors 

In previous e-blasts we shared that the Alaska Legislature passed the FY2026 operating budget with a $2.5 million increase for senior community grants, half a million less than the $3 million the House originally proposed. The $2.5 million additional funding will help strengthen critical senior services such as Meals on Wheels, transportation, and caregiver support. Read more in AARP Alaska's 2025 Legislative Report. 

Last year’s veto cut critical funding for senior programs, and the FY2026 (beginning July 1, 2025) state budget is expected to be even tighter. The budget is currently on Governor Dunleavy’s desk, and he has until June 19th to make any line-item vetoes.

Click here to learn how you can support critical funding for meals and services that help seniors remain at home. 

Facebook post here.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services FY26 Budget in Brief 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Budget in Brief on May 30th. This document provides a high-level summary of the department’s proposed funding priorities, spending levels, and policy initiatives for the upcoming fiscal year. 

Not all Congressional Justifications (CJs) have been released. CJs offer detailed explanations and line-item budget requests for each HHS agency. Agencies including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have already published their budget justifications. However, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Administration for Children, Families, and Communities (ACFC) and the proposed new Administration for a Healthy America (AHA), are still pending.

View the HSS FY26 Budget in Brief here.

The Alliance for Aging Research released their analysis of the HHS FY26 budget yesterday. 

'Big, Beautiful Bill' H.R. 1 Senate Update

Congress was originally expected to pass a budget bill by mid-March to prevent a government shutdown but instead approved a continuing resolution, extending the deadline to the end of September.

Given the narrow margins in Congress, the Senate passed a measure to use the reconciliation process, allowing them to advance the budget with a simple majority rather than the standard two-thirds vote.

Although lawmakers technically have until September, former President Trump has urged the Senate to pass the bill by July 4th. 

Learn more in this recent Newsweek article. 

Justice in Aging: Over 1,100 Advocacy Organizations Urge Senate to Reject Harmful Medicaid Cuts

This week, more than 1,100 national, state, and local organizations (including Alaskan) sent a letter to every U.S. Senator urging them to oppose H.R. 1, the House-passed budget reconciliation bill, and any similar legislation that would cut Medicaid.

Led by the Disability and Aging Collaborative and the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities, the letter highlights the devastating impact the bill would have on older adults, people with disabilities, and their caregivers. The bill proposes major cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), threatening health coverage for millions.

According to new estimates from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the bill would result in at least 10.9 million people losing health coverage—7.8 million of whom would lose Medicaid. If the enhanced ACA premium tax credits expire as well, the total number of newly uninsured would reach 16 million.

Additionally, more than 1.3 million seniors and people with disabilities would lose Medicare cost-sharing assistance, leaving them more vulnerable to medical debt. The bill also threatens to eliminate Medicare coverage for many lawfully present older immigrants who have long contributed to the U.S.

With negotiations continuing behind closed doors in the Senate, advocates stress the urgency of public awareness and action. To learn more and access advocacy tools, visit Justice in Aging’s Medicaid defense resources.

ADvancing States Updates

Read the KFF new brief on the Older Americans Act and Potential Changes. In 2023, services for older adults included the delivery of 181 million home-delivered meals and 57 million congregate meals. Approximately 1.2 million one-way assisted transportation trips were provided, and nearly 2 million individuals received nutrition counseling or education. Additionally, 216,000 individuals received legal assistance.

In April, The National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD) released a new installment in its "Why Did They Do it That Way" series, focusing on Medicaid financing. This issue brief explores how federal and state or territorial governments share Medicaid costs, how state budget cycles work, and how the Executive Branch projects future spending. It also examines major factors that influence Medicaid costs—including prescription drug prices, long-term services and supports, and overall price growth.

The Partnership to Align Social Care and the Camden Coalition co-host a monthly learning series titled Coffee and Contracts: A Social Needs Contracting Community of Practice. This series offers a space for community-based organizations, community care hubs, and health care partners to explore best practices in business development and contracting. The next session takes place on Tuesday, June 10 at 8am AKST. 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released draft guidance for public comment on the third cycle of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. For the first time, this round will include drugs covered under Medicare Part B, alongside those under Part D. The guidance seeks input on how to ensure access to the negotiated maximum fair prices (MFPs) for Part B drugs and outlines how CMS plans to select drugs for renegotiation—specifically those initially negotiated for 2026 or 2027 pricing. By February 1, 2026, CMS will announce up to 15 drugs for negotiation (Part D or Part B), with negotiated prices taking effect on January 1, 2028. The agency will also publish the drug list for the 2028 initial price year and identify any drugs selected for the first round of renegotiation. Public comments on the draft guidance are due by June 26, 2025, at 10:59 p.m. AKST. Additional comments on related information collection requests, including the Small Biotech Exception and Biosimilar Delay process, are open through July 14, 2025.

The SCAN Foundation is hosting a webinar on June 17th at 10am AKST titled Home is Where the Care Is: Value, Threats, and the Future of Medicaid Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) for Older Adults. The event will explore the critical role HCBS plays in supporting older adults and caregivers, highlight new county-level data from ATI Advisory, and examine how policy changes could impact the program.

The Medicare Rights Center has published a new three-part educational series to help the public better understand how Medicare is funded and how policy changes can support its long-term sustainability. The first installment, Medicare Financing: Shifting the Focus to Sustainability in Addition to Solvency, provides an overview of Medicare’s funding structure, historical cost trends, and current financial challenges. It includes a detailed issue brief, infographic, and video explaining the funding sources for Medicare’s major components. Future resources will address Medicare Advantage and site neutrality.

West Health has introduced the National Aging Readiness Dashboard, an interactive digital tool that provides data visualizations, expert analysis, and research on how healthcare policy, practice, and affordability affect aging in the U.S. Designed for professionals serving older adults, the dashboard compiles data from sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau, CMS, and the National Housing Preservation Database to support informed planning and decision-making.

It's Medicare Fraud Prevention Week! This annual awareness event highlights the role everyone can play in preventing Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse. From reviewing insurance statements to reporting suspicious activity, individuals, caregivers, families, professionals, and community members can all help protect against fraud.

Tips include:

• Beneficiaries should check their Medicare statements and use tools like the free My Health Care Tracker.

• Caregivers can watch for unapproved items like knee braces or suspicious phone calls.

• Families can help loved ones set up Medicare.gov accounts and review statements.

• Professionals and partners are encouraged to share Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) resources and invite SMP to community events.

• Providers should educate patients on scams and ensure items are prescribed appropriately.

• Community members can look out for neighbors and share information on current scams.

SMP also launched a new mobile app, SMP Medicare Tracker, which features educational games, fraud alerts, and an appointment tracker.

June Senior Voice is Live 

The Senior Voice June 2025 issue highlights meaningful elder engagement efforts in St. Mary’s, Medicare vaccine coverage, and insights on hospice care distinctions. Learn more about World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, check out a roundup of summer events and expos and features on aging with independence, technology access, and community storytelling! 

Visit seniorvoicealaska.com.

Senior Voice is mailed to every zip code in Alaska. Any organization, agency or business that wants Senior Voice copies to distribute to their community can get a free delivery every month. Individual subscriptions are $30/year.

Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska & Alaska Legal Services Consultations June 10 

As dementia advances, many families face difficult decisions about care needs and long-term planning. To help navigate these challenges, Alaska Legal Services Corporation (ALSC) is partnering with Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska to offer free 30-minute online legal consultations for caregivers.

On Tuesday, June 10, from 10am to 1pm, caregivers can meet one-on-one with an ALSC attorney to ask general legal questions, explore available options, and identify helpful resources. While this service does not constitute legal advice, it’s a valuable opportunity to better understand your next steps in planning for care.

Appointments are limited, so early registration is encouraged.
To reserve a spot, contact Gay Wellman at 907-822-5620 or gwellman@alzalaska.org.

Forget-Me-Not Spring Chorus Concert is today! 

The Forget-me-not Chorus brings together individuals living with Alzheimer’s, related dementias, or memory loss and their caregivers to sing, connect, and share joy through music. Today at 1pm is their spring concert at Anchorage Senior Activity Center. This event is free and open to all. 

Can't make it in person? Watch the performance online through zoom! Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88975155247?pwd=9nkbVKTjlJJajaWQejXj6uaOabVhcd.1

Meeting ID: 889 7515 5247

Passcode: 546904