AHCCCS still fielding questions about Brewer’s healthcare plan

PHOENIX — The questions continue.

Representatives of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) say they’ve been getting calls about Governor Brewer’s Medicaid expansion plan ever since people first heard about it.

At first, people were worried about the health coverage provided under Arizona’s Proposition 204.

“That is the voter initiative where Arizona voters mandated that all Arizonans living at 100 percent of poverty or below be covered by the AHCCCS program,” said AHCCCS Spokeswoman Monica Coury.

The recession caused the state to freeze enrollment in a Prop 204 provision that covered adults without children.
Because of the freeze, many of them were sent to hospital emergency rooms when they needed routine medical treatment.

Coury says Brewer’s plan, which was approved by the Arizona Legislature last week, reinstates that enrollment.

There’s also been questions about money.

“We have heard a few concerns from people who didn’t understand the Governor’s plan who think that this would somehow costs Arizona taxpayers money,” said Coury.

Coury also noted that Arizona taxpayers aren’t footing the bill for the plan.

“It is being funded through hospital assessment,” she said.

Coury claims the Governor’s Medicaid expansion plan is the best plan for Arizona.