Assistance for Incarcerated Individuals Not on Medicaid: Pre-Release & Hospitalized Inmate Applications

To assist incarcerated individuals who do not have Medicaid benefits, AHCCCS partners with the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, and Reentry (ADCRR) and a growing number of county government entities (e.g., jails, probation departments, public defenders) to submit expedited Medicaid applications on behalf of inmates prior to release. AHCCCS highly encourages all Arizona prisons, jails, and detention facilities to participate in Inmate Application processes and offers training and ongoing technical assistance. For additional information about participating in Inmate Application processes, please see Resources for Justice System Stakeholders.

Pre-release Inmate Applications may be submitted by jail/prison/detention staff (or their contractors) 30 days prior to release and will receive an expedited determination to ensure eligible coverage can begin immediately following release from incarceration (24-72 hours).

Hospitalized Inmate Applications may be submitted by jail/prison/detention staff (or their contractors) to apply for temporary Medicaid coverage for medically necessary hospitalizations (outside of the correctional institution) which occur during the period of incarceration. Without AHCCCS coverage, the costs for those hospitalizations would be the responsibility of the correctional institution and/or or the inmate.