AHCCCS Implements New Work Requirements For Medicaid

By Bridget Dowd, Mark Brodie
Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services
Published: Saturday, September 7, 2019 - 6:31pm
Updated: Monday, September 9, 2019 - 12:02pm
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Arizona’s Medicaid program, known as the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, or AHCCCS, has unveiled new work requirement plans for some recipients.

About 120,000 Arizonans will have to prove they’re working, going to school or volunteering to keep their health care.

The federal government approved the program earlier this year by the federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, but it’s not expected to start before the fall of 2020, and then, only in Maricopa, Pima and Yuma counties.

Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System spokesperson Heidi Capriotti said people in smaller countries like Gila and Navajo probably won’t be affected until 2022.

“Less opportunities for employment, less opportunity for community engagement in general, volunteer opportunities, skills-building opportunities," she said. "So we just want to be conscientious about what's available in each county without rolling it out as a blanket expectation.”

There are a number of exemptions, though, including members who are medically frail, former foster children, tribal members and some caretakers.

The Show spoke about this with Jim Hammond, publisher of the healthcare industry newsletter and website the Hertel Report.

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