Hobbs chose Carmen Heredia to lead the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), Angie Rodgers to lead the Department of Economic Security, Matthew Stewart will oversee the Department of Child Safety, Theresa Cullen, MD will head the Department of Health Services and Joan Serviss was appointed to the Department of...Arizona News
Hospitals are still struggling to overcome a dip in revenue, with the sector expected to end this year in the red. The alleged culprit of hospital struggles is staffing shortages, which in turn causes potential staff to request higher wages, coupled with lower patient volumes than during the pandemic.
Although by early autumn it...National News
What major coverage transitions can we expect after the Public Health Emergency expires and state Medicaid agencies resume normal eligibility determinations and a predicted 18 million in the U.S. lose coverage?
The emergency declaration is expected to expire in April 2023 - people in Medicaid are expected to make the following...Arizona News
This week, Los Angeles-based law firm Manatt published guidance for state Medicaid agencies on working with community-based organizations for addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) for Medicaid program enrollees.
Working With Community Care Hubs to Address Social Drivers of Health: A Playbook for State Medicaid Agencies was...
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved Arizona’s 1115 Waiver renewal, which focuses on funding for the Targeted Investments (TI 2.0) program and Housing and Health Opportunities (H2O) program.
The federal government didn't approve Arizona's Medicaid work requirement known as the AHCCCS Works community...
On October 1, 2022, new ACC-RBHA contracts began with Mercy Care (Central GSA), Arizona Complete Health (South GSA) and Care 1st Health Plan (North GSA) resulting in about 6,100 members transitioning from the Health Choice RBHA to Care1st. Aligning RBHA service areas with ACC and ALTCS contracts also shifted about 1,900 members the Mercy...
Arizona's auditor general reported that the state's Medicaid agency has been too slow in investigating potential fraud and abuse incidents and did not ensure that behavioral health peer specialists met all qualification and training requirements.
According to the performance audit and sunset review, the Arizona Health Care Cost...
Snyder oversees Arizona’s Medicaid and CHIP program, including its $18 billion annual budget to provide acute, behavioral health, and long-term care services and supports to more than 2.3 million Arizona residents. She began her work at AHCCCS in 2017 as the agency's deputy director and was appointed by Governor Doug Ducey in 2019...Arizona News
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awarded almost $32 million to the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) and $3 million to various tribes and tribal entities. Maricopa County also received $4.7 million as part of an estimated $80 million national opioid settlement.
AHCCCS pledged...Arizona News
The devices are costly, ranging from $160 to $500 a month out-of-pocket, making continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) unaffordable to many. In Arizona, Medicaid doesn’t help cover the cost.
Many patients with diabetes need to track their blood sugar levels to regulate insulin throughout the day. This can be a hassle with the...Arizona News
New mothers in Arizona covered by Medicaid are getting closer to receiving a year of health benefits after they give birth. Once approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and operationalized, the option for the 12-month extension of postpartum coverage will be available through the Arizona Health Care Cost...Arizona News
The insurer has a strong presence in Arizona, insuring about 400,000 Medicaid and 47,000 MA lives, and also competes under the Ambetter brand on the Health Insurance Marketplace.
According to reporting from the Phoenix Business Journal, Centene's notice to terminate its Medicaid contract with Tenet Healthcare's Abrazo Health...Arizona News
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in Arizona, and the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) will take the opportunity afforded by National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in September to coordinate with state agencies and other organizations to highlight the roles that everyone plays in preventing...News
Gains were concentrated in Medicaid and enrollment increased in every state, but Arizona's enrollment grew faster than the average at 28.5% from February 2020 to April 2022. National enrollment in Medicaid & the Children's Health Insurance Program grew to 88.3 million enrollees in April 2022. Enrollment was declining in the two years...Arizona News
Last Thursday, the Arizona State Legislature passed a fiscal year 2023 budget with bipartisan support. The budget consolidated 17 bills having to do with public works, border security, education, natural resources and the healthcare industry.
For the healthcare sector, one major provision will extend coverage for new mothers through...Arizona News
In 2020 and 2021, AHCCCS and the Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith, and Family (GOYFF) trained over 3,800 teachers and community leaders to implement PAX in their professional work with children and families.
The PAXIS Institute develops, implements, and supports tested and proven, solution-focused strategies with real-world...Arizona News
The idea that housing has an integral place in patient health and wellness is no longer a hypothetical question. In recent years, the pivot to value-based care (VBC) and research into the impacts on social determinants of health (SDOH) on patient outcomes has been quite clear. But the catch now, in the contemporary American healthcare...Arizona News
In an effort to ensure state Medicaid agencies can successfully reach current enrollees, Health & Human Services is asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to grant an opinion on whether certain text messages and automated, pre-recorded telephone calls to individuals’ cell phones are permissible under the Telephone...Arizona News
Arizona may still have a chance to extend the time frame of postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to one year after birth. The bill, SB 1272, passed the Arizona Senate and the House Health and Human Services Appropriations Committees with nearly unanimous support.
However, the bill has stalled while the Legislature negotiates the...
Fallout from COVID-19 policies continue as hospitals nationwide struggle to maintain a workforce. Nurse and healthcare worker unions and advocacy organizations blame hospital policies and reduced pay for the worker shortages. OSHA moved to revoke Arizona's state plan after ongoing violations of federal policy to enforce worker...
