Arizona KidsCare (CHIP) State Plan Amendments

This page lists State Plan Amendments (SPAs) to the KidsCare State Plan that have been approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

2024 Amendments

24-0003 CHIP Vaccine Coverage
Attests to the State's coverage of age-appropriate vaccines and their administration without cost sharing, effective January 1, 2024.

2023 Amendments

23-0011: KidsCare (CHIP) Income Eligibility
Establishes CHIP eligibility for children up to 225% of the federal poverty level (FPL).

23-0012: KidsCare (CHIP) Premiums and Strategic Objectives
Updates KidsCare (CHIP) premiums to include children up to 225% FPL and updates the State Plan Strategic Objectives.

2022 Amendments

22-0017 – CHIP Continuous Coverage
Provides for 12-months of CHIP Continuous Eligibility, up to age 19.

SPA 22-0010 - 12-Month Postpartum Continuous Eligibility (KidsCare)
Establishes 12-months of postpartum continuous eligibility for pregnant KidsCare beneficiaries.

SPA 22-0007 - CHIP COVID-19 Coverage
This SPA attests to the state providing mandatory CHIP coverage of COVID-19 testing, vaccination and treatment services.

2020 Amendments

SPA 20-012 - CHIP SUPPORT Act BH Services
To bring the CHIP state plan into compliance with provisions of the SUPPORT Act that require Behavioral Health (BH) services to be explicitly detailed in the CHIP State Plan document.

SPA 20-002 - CHIP Disaster Relief
Updates the CHIP State Plan to provide the state flexibility to waive cost sharing requirements and to provide additional flexibilities around enrollment and renewal timeframes in response to COVID-19.

2019 Amendments

SPA 19-003
Updates CHIP State Plan to comply with the Managed Care Regulations release in 2016.

2017 Amendments

SPA 17-010
Updates the State Plan to make technical changes and assurances related to Mental Health Parity regulations.

2016 Amendments

SPA 16-017
Updates the State Plan to change the premium lock out period from 90 days to 2 months.

SPA 16-016
Updates the State Plan to remove the enrollment cap on the KidsCare program.

2013 Amendments

SPA 13-006
Updates the State Plan to include children ineligible for Medicaid as a result of the elimination of income disregards.

SPA 13-005
Updates the State Plan to include Non-Financial Eligibility – CHIP SPAs.

SPA 13-004
Updates the State Plan to include MAGI eligibility and Methods.

SPA 13-003
Updates the State Plan to include income eligibility for children under Medicaid expansion.

SPA 13-002
Updates the State Plan to include general eligibility processing for the separate child health insurance program.

SPA 13-001
Updates the State Plan to remove the waiting list for the KidsCare (CHIP) program.

2010 Amendments

SPA 10-001
Eliminates the Children's Health Insurance Program, known as KidsCare in Arizona, due to insufficient funding. (Note: This SPA has been withdrawn as described below.)

2009 Amendments

SPA 09-002
Implements an enrollment cap on the Children's Health Insurance Program, known as KidsCare in Arizona.

SPA 09-001
Increases monthly premium amounts for children between 150 percent to 200 percent of the Federal poverty level (FPL).

2004 Amendments

SPA 04-01
Revises the CHIP State Plan in order to impose premiums for enrollees with incomes above 100 to 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and increase premiums for enrollees with incomes above 150 percent of the FPL.

  • Effective 02/01/2004
  • Approved 04/02/2004
  • Submitted 01/14/2004, additional information submitted 02/26/2004 & 03/05/2004

2003 Amendments

SPA 03-01
Revises the CHIP State plan to increase premiums for enrollees with incomes above 175 percent of the Federal poverty and remove co-payments for all enrollees.

  • Effective 10/01/2003
  • Approved 12/16/2003
  • Submitted 09/22/2003, additional information submitted 11/18/2003

2002 Amendments

SPA 02-01
AHCCCS' response to the CMS requirement that all states conform to a national template. AHCCCS updated old sections and completed new sections. CMS was delayed in the issuing of the new template; however, CMS instructed AHCCCS to use the 08/24/2001 implementation date even though the template was completed in 2002.

2001 Amendments

SPA 01-01
Expands covered services of Title XXI; reduces the period of un-insurance from 6 to 3 months; waives the period of un-insurance for children who are seriously or chronically ill and establishes a hardship exemption process to the disenrollment process for non-payment of premiums.

  • Effective 10/01/2001
  • Approved 11/15/2001
  • Submitted 08/17/2001, additional information submitted 09/21/2001 and 09/24/2001

2000 Amendments

SPA 00-02
Allows the state to accept parental declaration of income for the KidsCare Program.

SPA 00-01
Permits Arizona to disregard earnings from employment by the Census Bureau to assist in Census 2000 when making eligibility determinations.

  • Effective 04/01/2000
  • Approved 04/03/2000
  • Submitted 03/31/2000

1999 Amendments

SPA 99-03
Clarifies reporting requirements of quality indicators, strategic objectives and performance goals. In addition, Native Americans will not be imposed cost-sharing obligations. Finally, children who have been terminated from private insurance as a result of lifetime limits will be considered for Title XXI eligibility purposes.

  • Effective 11/01/1998
  • Approved 12/01/1999
  • Submitted 09/17/1999

SPA 99-02
Increases income thresholds to 200% FPL, charges premiums for FPL over 150%, allows physician assistants to bill independently for behavioral health services, adds case management services for DD population, clarifies coverage requirements, and clarifies agency practice with regard to direct services.

  • Effective 10/01/1999
  • Approved 08/23/1999
  • Submitted 06/16/1999

SPA 99-01
Provides additional reasons why a child who has been determined eligible would not receive the guaranteed initial 12-month continuous coverage.

  • Effective 01/01/1999
  • Approved 05/21/1999
  • Submitted 02/23/1999

Contact

For questions about the State Plan, write the Office of Intergovernmental Relations:

  • Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS)
    ATTN: Office of Intergovernmental Relations
    801 E. Jefferson St, MD 4200
    Phoenix, AZ 85034