This is the 19th in a continuing series about our trip to Alaska
“I’m wiping reindeer hair off my shoes,” Marvin Curb told me yesterday when I asked what he was doing at the door to his motorhome. Now there’s something you don’t hear everyday, but in Alaska, well, a lot of unusual things happen.
On the serious side, one of the caravan members went to an Anchorage urgent care provider when a she was stung by an insect. She was refused treatment there and at a second clinic, because they don’t take Medicare or accept secondary health insurance. I hope we hear more about this from others who have asked for medical care in the 49th state.
To be honest, this edition of Our Alaska Trip journal is stalling for time. I have three items that I want to put together, but the photos that go with one story were fried in a laptop, so we’re trying to resurrect them, and a member of the group that I want to talk with hasn’t been available to tell his story.
So now for some random notes and just a tad of travel log:
RVers who travel to Alaska with their dogs and who plan to embark on a 12-hour tour, as we have, need to plan ahead for pet care while they are gone. We’ve had a dog-walking service available at one private campground and I’m sure others offer it, also.
I mentioned before there are something like 2.5 gift shops per tourist in Alaska. Still true.
A more interesting statistic is that one of every 59 Alaskans has a pilot’s 
license. Our tour yesterday stopped along a lake that is the busiest seaplane airport in the world, with an average of 250 take-offs a day, according to our bus driver. It goes up to 800-1,000 a day on occasion – I don’t recall Anchorage ever hosting the Superbowl.
In addition to the seaplanes parked on the lake, there’s a parking lot filled with seaplanes on the tarmac or on trailers. Since these little aircraft can’t make it to the Lower 48, I asked where they all go. In addition to hunting, fishing and sightseeing, lots of them make trips to the Interior to deliver supplies.
And that segues into the life of our whitewater rafting guide, Tim. Tim shares an apartment with others and apparently survives on Chef Boyardee 
from the can. Not only are food prices steep in Denali, but it’s over a hundred miles to the nearest supermarkets in Anchorage or Fairbanks. They make the drive once or twice a month.
And that brings us to today’s outing. We started the day at Costco for lunch and stopped at Walgreen’s on our way to the Alaskan Native Heritage Center. Our knowledge of native life among the many clans (tribes) of Alaska was broadened greatly. I found out that the Aleutian Island chain is “the birthplace of the winds.” Winds there often top 100 miles per hour and get up to 200 miles per hour. I suspect it’s not a good place for a high profile RV, even if there were roads there.
From Left, Natives' Relationship to the Sea Otter, Warrior Games and Crafting a Totem Pole
We’re “goin’ coastal” tomorrow, heading to Seward, headquarters for the Kenai Fjords National Park.
Thanks to Ada Beavers for the rafting photo. Good thing she didn’t get a shot of me in the 38-degree river — Monique would panic.
From the “Never-Bored RVers,” We’ll see you on down the road.
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jim
on medicare coverage in canada, i suggest u go to the medicare web site. there are rules and each case is evaluated on its own merit. it isn’t automatic.
i was told by one that had traveled in canada that to be sure u needed to purchace their insurance. he was spending time in canada so he wasn’t ” traveling the most direct route without delay.”
macsly
My husband is on Medicare. We live in Alaska and have secondary insurance. We have had no difficulty getting emergency treatment and he is in emergency fairly often (COPD and bowel blockages) Perhaps Anchorage is that way, but Fairbanks doctors and hospital have treated us great. (So has Providence). I did have difficulty getting a friend on Medicare into a neurologist (4 month wait) and other friends have had difficulty getting into a dermatologist, but those are pretty specialized.
Jane
WOW!! Is this blogsite starting to get politcal?….Lynne, I LOVE all of your info…you are certainly well informed! clkek is right on! As well as Kellie…Truman…u need to take a hike!!! Barry and Monique…We wait every day to hear your blog…we have actually signed up for next year for the June 9th 42 day caravan…..We appreciate your info on dog sitting while on an extended tour…Happy travels…
Lynne schlumpf
Yes, some providers take Tricare here, as this is a big military state. You can also go to the Elmendorf hospital, which is very good.
Mike
What about Tricare that us retired Military have as our medical provider.. Do the Dr’s in the 49th take that..?
clkek
The refusal to see medicare patients is as big a problem in the lower 48 as well. My our GP is reimbursed $11 for a medicare office visit- that does not even cover the costs of her office help and utilities for the time of the office visit, not to mention her professional liability insurance and medical school student loan payment . The Federal Gov reduces the costs of medicare by cutting provider reimbursement!!! That in turn has raised private pay costs as some how the bills have to get paid. Just wait for Obamacare if you think finding a medicare participating physician is difficult now!!! Does the term rationing of health care mean anything????
Kellie
Truman – surely you aren’t suggesting that the government can FORCE docs to accept Medicare are you? What exactly does Sarah Palin have to do with this problem? I’m quite certain it is the FEDERAL govt which sets the reimbursement level for Medicare and she was not elected to a federal position. Perhaps this would have been something she could have helped to resolve.
Stan Zawrotny
We didn’t have any health problems in Alaska, but coming back through British Columbia, my wife had a serious finger cut and had to go to an emergency room. I’m pleased to say that the Canadian health care system had no problems with our Medicare coverage.
truman
Count me out for a long visit to the great state of alaska NO Medicare No second insurance !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Guess you have to bring a ton of money when you visit? And someone from that state was running for vice president!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW!! Just count me for a brief excurison to that wonderful state Thanks
Lynne schlumpf
Alaska has a very severe medicare problem. There are no doctors who take medicare here. Some have tried, but the government doesn’t pay them enough so they refuse new patients.
The only option for most medicare patients are Alaska Regional Hospital, providence hospital, and the Matanuska Hospital.
Channel 2, our NBC station, did a special on medicare in Alaska and found not even one doctor that would take a medicare patient.
Alaska also stopped the longevity bonus, which used to be 250.00 to retirees. Both of these things sent retirees out of the state in droves.
Alaska has the highest concentration of veterans in the U.S., but if they cannot get medicare help, they may leave as well.
The only thing left is the property tax exemption for up to 150,000 of your house value.
I have talked to many many retirees who cannot stay. There’s just nothing to stay for.
If you have anyone coming here who needs emergency or any kind of medicare assistance, the hospitals are ‘It.”
Thanks for a great travel log.
Lynne
P.S. Hope Whittier is one of your stops. I am so in love with Prince William Sound and its beauty. And hope you get to take the 26 glacier cruise. What a beautiful 1/2 trip to visit all the glaciers of the Sound.
You will LOVE Seward, too..love that town. It is so beautiful and has made such an amazing recovery from the ’64 earthquake.
Gary Altig
No urgent care for Medicare or supplemental medical insurance in Anchorage? Thats disturbing. What was the final outcome?
-Are we expected to purchase a medical insurance rider for Alaska?/ga
joe
Is the lack of medicare providers a problem in Alaska. I bet that would put a severe damper on their tourism trade with retirees. Did they try a hospital? I will not plan any trips to the state until I checked those things out for sure. OUCH!