AHCCCS News & Updates
Note: Information provided in PDF files.
QI-1 Enrollment
(Updated)
Thu Jan 28
As a result of recent Congressional action, increased federal funding for the QI-1 program was made available and AHCCCS will open the program effective immediately. All applications that were previously denied will now be processed.
Fri Jan 22
Pursuant to Section 1933 of the Social Security Act, the AHCCCS Administration will institute an enrollment cap for persons who would otherwise be eligible for benefits as
"qualifying individuals" or "QI-1s." Although QI-1s are a mandatory eligibility group, subsection (b)(3) of section 1933 of the Act requires the State to limit the number of QI-1s made eligible for the calendar year so that the amount of assistance provided to such individuals is estimated to equal but not exceed the State's federal allocation for the QI-1 population. Due to insufficient funding, AHCCCS will be denying new and pending applications for QI-1s.
Report on Health Care Provider Assessments (Updated)
AHCCCS has updated the Budget Neutrality estimates originally provided in the Provider Assessment report to the Legislature. See the attached memo from Director Betlach and
the updated Budget Neutrality estimates.
Arizona Laws 2009, Third Special Session, Chapter 10, Section 29, requires AHCCCS to review and report on health care provider assessments. Attached is the report submitted to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Governor on November 6, 2009.
Health Care Provider Assessments Report [PDF, 1.46MB]
FY 2011 State Budget
-
Governor's Budget Proposal
On January 15, 2010, Governor Brewer presented the Arizona Legislature her recommendations to balance the State's General Fund budgets for Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011. Information as it relates to the AHCCCS program can be found beginning on page 14 of the
"State Agency Budgets FY 2011" document on the Governor's website
http://www.azgovernor.gov/Budget2011.asp.
- AHCCCS Budget Request
On September 1, 2009, AHCCCS submitted its FY 2011 budget request to the Governor. The following documents provide a summary of the request:
H1N1 (Swine Flu)
In an effort to reduce the burden of communications coming into your office, AHCCCS Contractors have agreed to provide a letter to their in network primary care providers that explains where to obtain information related to H1N1 Novel Influenza and vaccine as well as the correct coding and billing information for administration of H1N1 Novel influenza vaccine.
Your office can expect to continue receiving updates from other state agencies and associations for both seasonal and H1N1 influenza.
Each AHCCCS Contractor has agreed to keep their websites updated with at least the latest information from Maricopa County, ADHS, VFC and TAPI. The Arizona influenza information campaign is called Stop The Spread. Member/patient information
that can be printed for use in your office can be found at the following
websites:
Providers can also access information and materials from the following website:
FY 2010 State Budget
- Budget Reduction Summary
AHCCCS has updated the summary of the budget reductions and rate freezes to reflect the recent changes as a result of the 5th Special Session and fund transfers that have occurred since FY 2008. As detailed in the document, the Medicaid program has had over $743 million in reductions when all items identified to date are fully annualized. This is not a cumulative number; it simply means these policy changes have reduced the overall AHCCCS budget by $743
million.
The document details reductions not only contained within the AHCCCS budget but also Medicaid reductions within the Department of Economic Security for the Developmentally Disabled program and the Department of Health Services for Behavioral Health Services.
Cumulative Budget Reduction Summary [12KB]
- Capitation Rate Changes
On September 30, 2009, AHCCCS requested that the Joint Legislative Budget Committee review the proposed capitation rates for contract year ending 2010 as required by the General Appropriations Act. In total, the capitation rates will experience a decrease of -3.0% for acute care and -.4% for ALTCS. The budget assumed an overall rate increase 1.5%. With the decrease the rates result in an estimated savings of -$153 million of which approximately -$37 million is State Match.
AHCCCS Letter to JLBC [314KB]
-
AHCCCS Potential Impact of a 15% Budget Reduction
On September 18th, the Governor's Deputy
Chief of Staff of Finance and Director of OSPB, Eileen Klein, made the
attached request to state agencies.
The memo requests data from each state agency describing the
ramifications and impacts of 15% reductions to their operations should
the Legislature look predominately at cuts to close Arizona's remaining
state budget deficit of $1.5 billion for FY 2010. Please note that this
is a data collection tool, and should not be construed as a proposed
budget solution by OSPB or Governor Brewer.
On October 9th, AHCCCS submitted the
attached response of the potential impact of implementing a 15%
reduction. The AHCCCS reduction is an adjusted 15% of discretionary
or optional state funded programs, the elimination of which would not
jeopardize federal stimulus dollars or voter protected programs.
-
Review of the Acute Care Adult Benefit Package
As a result of FY 2010 reductions, AHCCCS is reviewing and making changes to medically necessary criteria and policy. For updates on recent policy changes, go to
the
AHCCCS Medical Policy Manual (AMPM). AHCCCS continues to review the acute care adult benefit package to address how cost savings can be achieved in light of the continued budget shortfall and growth in the Medicaid population. Additional information will be made available as further details emerge.
For information about previous State legislative activities, please
visit the State
Legislative and Budget Activities page.
For information about Federal activities, including health care
reform, please visit
the Federal Activities page.
AHCCCS
