Recognizing the direct effects of social and economic factors on health outcomes, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) has submitted a formal 1115 Waiver Amendment Request to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services seeking authority to implement community engagement requirements and a five-year maximum lifetime benefit limit for a portion of the Medicaid population.
Called AHCCCS Works, the waiver request is designed to provide low-income, able-bodied adults the tools needed to gain and maintain meaningful employment, job training, and education. If approved by CMS, able-bodied adults between the ages of 19 and 55 who do not qualify for an exemption will be required to meet the following activities or combination of activities for at least 20 hours per week to qualify for AHCCCS coverage:
Consistent with requirements in Arizona statute, the initiatives proposed were informed by a robust public input process conducted over several months in early 2017 that included three public forums, an in-person tribal consultation, and over 500 written submissions.
Certain individuals are exempted from the AHCCCS Works requirements, including:
Read the AHCCCS Works Waiver Amendment Request and see additional documentation, including public comments.
