Healthcare (Women's Health)

This bill requires health insurance plans in Alaska to cover prescription contraceptives and related medical services without imposing copayments or deductibles on most insured individuals. It prohibits insurers from denying coverage if a person switches contraceptive methods within a year and prevents restrictions like prior authorization that could limit access to these products. Religious employers who oppose contraceptive coverage are exempt from these requirements but must inform enrollees about the available options. The law applies to both individual and group market plans while allowing some flexibility for high-deductible health plans.

HB 6 prohibits Alaska's state retirement funds, the Alaska Retirement Management Board, and the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation from making investment decisions intended to advance social, political, or ideological goals. Specifically, it bans actions like divesting from companies over climate policies, restricting investments based on diversity initiatives, limiting access to abortion or gender-affirming care, or avoiding firearm-related businesses. The bill defines prohibited actions as those "committing to" reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enforcing diversity criteria, divesting over environmental standards, or restricting firearm industry investments. These restrictions apply to all investment decisions by the affected boards, overriding any voluntary efforts to align portfolios with such interests. The bill directly affects how Alaska's public retirement and permanent funds manage investments.

SB 168 modifies Alaska's medical assistance program to expand eligibility for family planning services and supplies. It allows the Department of Health to provide these services to individuals of child-bearing age who are not pregnant and have household income at or below 225% of the federal poverty line. The bill requires the state to amend its medical assistance plan for federal approval, and the changes would take effect only if approved by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services by January 1, 2026. This policy directly affects low-income Alaskans seeking non-pregnancy-related reproductive healthcare services.