Petersburg Pilot -

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The coronavirus pandemic has caused a national increase in the number of people enrolling in the federal Medicaid health payment program and officials have said Alaska residents are joining at unprecedented levels.

Over the last six months, more than 12,000 people in Alaska have joined Medicaid, known in the state as DenaliCare and Denali KidCare, Juneau Public Media reported Friday.

Alaska’s program covered 232,735 participants as of Aug. 31, or nearly one out of three state residents, including most children.

Alaska’s Medicaid enrollment increase of more than 5...