Alaskans pay a lot for health care. Nick Begich made it worse.

Alaska Rep. Nick Begich campaigned on lowering health insurance costs, but in office he has consistently voted to limit access to affordable care.

Begich is running for a second term this year, and health care costs are expected to be a major issue in the race. The average cost for a standard health insurance plan in Alaska is $1,032 a month, one of the highest rates in the nation. This is driven by the state’s rural population and vast geography, which keep insurance pools small and can make staffing at medical facilities difficult.

Begich’s campaign website accuses lawmakers of paying lip service to these issues but doing nothing to actually fix them. Begich, meanwhile, has pushed for sweeping cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), which provide insurance to more than 35% of his state’s residents.

“Reforms are needed to drive down the cost of health care,” the site says. “Political rhetoric isn’t going to do it. It’s going to require commitment, tenacity, and hard work.”

The Medicaid cut was delivered via the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), which passed the House and Senate last year with only Republican votes. It will cut $1 trillion from Medicaid by 2034. The bulk of those savings will go toward tax breaks for the ultrawealthy. Nearly 36,000 Alaskans are expected to lose health insurance altogether as a result.

The cut will also affect several Alaska hospitals that depend on Medicaid reimbursements as a main source of revenue. In total, 14 hospitals will lose $63 million in funding. Experts warn this could lead to hospital closures.

Joe Wanner, CEO of Bartlett Regional Hospital in Juneau, told KTOO that his hospital expects to lose between $3 million to $4 million annually in Medicaid spending. He does not expect the facility to close but is also uncertain of the toll the cuts will take.

“With everything in health care, all you have to do is try to be in this position where you’re able to survive,” he said.

Begich celebrated OBBB becoming law, claiming in a May 2025 press release that it would “unlock opportunities” and “generate revenue.”

More recently, Begich opposed a bipartisan plan to extend Obamacare tax credits that kept insurance premiums low for 22 million Americans, including more than 25,000 Alaskans. Some have seen their insurance premiums spike by 346% as a result, an average increase of $909 a year. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that 2 to 5 million Americans are likely to drop insurance instead of paying the increased rate.

Mark Robokoff, who owns a pet supply shop in Alaska, told the Anchorage Daily News last year that his monthly premium jumped by 300%.

“​​I need my government, specifically my congressional delegation, to speak for me,” Robokoff said. “I feel absolutely abandoned.”

Begich’s Democratic challenger will be chosen in an Aug. 18 primary.