Federal Activities
Note: Information provided in PDF files.
More information from the Department of Health and Human Services is available at:
www.healthreform.gov
- Impact on the KidsCare Program
Mon
Jun 28, 2010
AHCCCS has received guidance from CMS regarding the impact of federal health care reform on the KidsCare program.
- High Risk Pools
Fri Jul 2, 2010
The Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) was established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The PCIP offers health coverage through 2014 to qualified individuals who can not get health coverage because of a pre-existing health condition. After 2014, insurers will be required to provide access to more affordable private insurance via the new Exchanges as described in the Affordable Care Act. Applicants in Arizona will be linked directly to the federal application page since the HHS is running the PCIP for Arizona. More information about the PCIP and how to apply is available at:
www.HealthCare.gov.
PCIP Pamphlet [354KB]
Wed May 5, 2010
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) establishes temporary high risk pools beginning June 21, 2010. The PPACA allows states to either operate their own risk pool or opt out and allow their state's citizens to access a federally operated risk pool. In a recent letter to
HHS Secretary Sebelius, Arizona elected to opt out. More information about the federal government's plans to implement and operate the temporary high risk pools in Arizona will be provided as soon as it is received.
Governor Brewer's Letter to HHS - 4/30/10 [72KB]
- Medicaid Provisions
Mon Apr 19, 2010
AHCCCS has summarized the various Medicaid provisions of health care reform from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA - PL 111-148) and accompanying Reconciliation bill (PL 111-152). Please note, other sections not included
in the matrix may be added at a later date. Information will be updated as it is available.
Health Care Reform Matrix
[99KB]
- AHCCCS Update Regarding Health Care Reform
Thu Mar 25, 2010
On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed federal health care reform into law (HR 3590). On March 25, the Senate passed the House amendments to HR 3590 via the Reconciliation bill (HR 4872), which was sent back to the House for a second vote on a procedure change. The House passed the Reconciliation bill a second time that same evening and now the bill awaits President Obama's signature, which is expected sometime next week. AHCCCS has completed its initial review of the impact to Arizona and has updated the fiscal estimates from the December 7, 2009, analysis. Copies of the AHCCCS preliminary analysis and the bills are provided below:
- Reform Proposals
- President's Proposal
Mon Feb 22, 2010
President Obama unveiled key provisions of his proposal for health care reform. AHCCCS is in the process of reviewing the provisions, although the documents currently available do not provide significant detail to allow for a thorough impact analysis. More information will be posted as it becomes available.
President's Proposal [90KB]
Governor's
Letter to President Obama - 3/10/10 [174KB]
- Senate Proposal
Thu Dec 24, 2009
The Senate passes The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590), the Senate vehicle for health care reform legislation.
Senate Proposal [4.2MB]
- House Proposal
Sat Nov 7, 2009
The House of Representatives passes The Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962).
House Proposal
[3.2MB]
- Governor
Brewer's Letters Regarding Health Care Reform
On June 30, 2010, Governor Brewer issued the following correspondence to all members of Arizona’s congressional delegation regarding unfunded healthcare mandates and maintenance of effort requirements.
Governor Brewer's Letter to Arizona Congressional Delegation [134KB]
On March 10, 2010, the Governor submitted a letter to President Obama addressing how his health care
reform proposal furthers exacerbates Arizona's fiscal crisis.
Governor's Letter to President Obama [174KB]
On January 7, 2010, the Governor submitted a letter to Arizona's Congressional Delegation
reiterating her concerns with health care reform proposals and providing information
about recent and proposed reductions to the AHCCCS budget to address the Arizona's
budget deficit. A copy of that letter, as sent to Senator McCain, is provided.
Governor's Letter to Senator McCain
[479KB]
On December 4, 2009, the Governor submitted a letter to Arizona's Congressional
Delegation regarding the impact of unfunded federal mandates and maintenance of
effort requirements on Arizona's fiscal crisis. A copy of that letter, as sent to
Representative Trent Franks, is provided.
Governor's Letter to the Representative
Franks [1.36MB]
Please note, the ARRA Medicaid maintenance of effort requirements expire on December
31, 2010.
- AHCCCS Analysis
Fri Jan 29, 2010
On January 27, 2010, AHCCCS made a presentation about Federal Health Care Reform to the Arizona House and Senate Health Committees. A copy of the presentation is provided below:
AHCCCS Federal Health
Care Reform Update [90KB]
AHCCCS recently sent a letter to the Governor outlining the Agency's assessment
on the impact that Congressional health reform proposals will have on the Arizona
state budget and Medicaid program.
Letter to the Governor
Outlining the Impact of Federal Health Care Reform Proposals [349KB]
The presentation below provides the Agency's analysis regarding the potential impact
of the federal health care reform proposals to Arizona. Please note, following December
18, 2009, when the presentation was created, the U.S. Senate made changes to its
proposal that are not reflected in the presentation. AHCCCS will continue to monitor
the impact to Arizona as information becomes available. Updated information about
changes to the proposals can be found on the website of the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Federal Health
Care Reform Analysis and Update [131KB]
- News Coverage
Information about the impact of Federal Health Care Reform to Arizona has appeared
in recent media outlets.
On December 30, 2009, the Governor issued the following statement regarding the
financial impact of the Federal Health Care Reform plan.
Governor's
Statement Regarding HCR [136KB]
Tue Mar 16, 2010
On January 22, 2010, the Federal register published a notice to advise that the 2009 poverty guidelines will remain in effect until updated 2010 poverty guidelines are published. To date, the 2010 poverty guidelines have not been published. AHCCCS will post information as soon as it becomes available. A copy of the Federal Register notice is provided below:
Federal Register Notice - 1/22/10 [51KB]
On February 4, 2009, the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA or Public Law 111-3) was signed into law. CHIPRA reauthorizes and finances the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) through FY 2013 and made other changes to the CHIP and Medicaid programs. More information is provided below:
- CMS Denies Arizona's Application for KidsCare Bonus Payments
Section 104 of the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) provides for a performance bonus payment to states that meet five of eight enrollment and retention provisions for children. CMS informed AHCCCS that it was deficient in two of the provisions to qualify for performance bonus payments. Below is additional information regarding Arizona's appeal of the CMS decision that the state does not meet five of the eight requirements to qualify for performance bonus payment.
It is estimated the State would have received approximately $31.7 million over 3 years to help sustain its KidsCare program.
-
Loss of KidsCare or AHCCCS Health Insurance a
Qualifying Event
The Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) of 2009 made several changes designed to help people get or keep health insurance coverage. One of the changes allows employees and their families to enroll in their employer's group health plan without having to wait for an open enrollment period when the employee or dependent loses their AHCCCS or KidsCare benefits. The employee or dependent must:
-
Be eligible to sign up for health insurance through their employer. For example, some employers only offer health insurance to employees who work 30 hours a week or more. Someone who works only 24 hours per week would not be eligible in this example;
and
-
Ask to enroll with the employer's group health plan within 60 days from the date the AHCCCS or KidsCare coverage ends.
Contact your employer immediately if you think you may be eligible to enroll in their group health plan coverage and your AHCCCS or KidsCare coverage is ending. More information is available
from CMS:
Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) of 2009, Section 311
For additional information about CHIPRA, visit the CMS website:
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/chipra/
On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed into law
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)(P.L. 111-5).
Title 5 of the ARRA provides approximately $87 billion in grant
money to help States, the District of Columbia, and Territories meet the health care
needs during the economic crisis.
Information on how the ARRA would impact Arizona's Medicaid program
is provided below:
For additional information about ARRA and Medicaid, visit the CMS website: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/Recovery/09_Medicaid.asp
Thu Jan 28, 2010
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 15, 2010
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.
