Gov. Hobbs declares heat emergency in 3 Arizona counties
Hobbs declares heat state of emergency Gov. Katie Hobbs’ health director was sabotaged. So was Arizona EG.5 strain of COVID-19 has been increasing in Arizona
Americans suffer when health insurers place profits over people Initiative campaign launches in Arizona to expand abortion rights Campaign launches to give Arizonans a constitutional right to abortion access |
Even though the state and federal public health emergencies are over it doesn’t mean COVID is over or that we’re not getting reports of illness. Labs and clinicians that find a case of COVID are still supposed to report that data to the state and county health departments. The state and county also still get some COVID hospitalization data. So, what are they finding this Summer?
EG.5 strain of COVID-19 has been increasing in Arizona
Not much really. Throughout the course of the pandemic, we’ve seen pretty consistent surges of infection every six months… consistent with community neutralizing antibody titers (which wane after 6 months). T-cell immunity lasts a lot longer and protects well against severe disease. Nationwide, COVID hospitalizations have been up slightly in the last couple weeks (12%) but in Arizona it’s down about 25%.
The burden in hospital emergency departments these days is due to dehydration and heat-related illnesses.
Gov. Hobbs declares heat emergency in 3 Arizona counties
It’s still possible we will observe an upswing in infections in the next month or two… or it could be that the pattern has changed and will change to a pattern more like cold viruses and influenza.
Nationally, the Omicron strain called XBB.1.9.2 has taken the top spot in the US, accounting for about 17% of new COVID-19 cases. In the UK, EG.5.1, nicknamed “Eris,” accounts for about 15% of COVID-19 cases, making it the second most prevalent variant there. The rise of EG.5.1 is also notable in Asia, where it was originally detected.
Symptoms of EG.5.1 are similar to the common cold or allergies, with sore throat, runny nose, clogged nose, sneezing, dry cough, and headache as the leading symptoms. Shortness of breath, loss of smell, and fever are not on the list.
Meanwhile, the FDA’s expert advisory committee (VRBPAC) is recommending that the US shift to a monovalent booster shot this fall. That monovalent shot would drop the old ancestral strain antigen and strictly focus on the XBB-lineage of the Omicron variant with a preference for XBB.1.5.
See: Updated COVID-19 Vaccines for Use in the United States Beginning in Fall 2023 | FDA
Here’s the FDA’s one page summary of why they think the fall booster should focus on XBB.1.5: Recommendation for the 2023-2024 Formula of COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S.. The CDC’s advisory committee – the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) hasn’t yet made a recommendation about the makeup of the fall COVID vaccine – but it’s a safe assumption they’ll be in line with VRBPAC.
Governor Hobbs declared a heat emergency releasing some money (about $200K) to reimburse counties for their heat release work this summer. The declaration
While the media coverage has mostly focused on the emergency declaration… Hobbs also signed an executive order that’s of potentially more public health consequence than the emergency declaration.
That Executive Order (not the emergency declaration) requires ADHS, ADOA, ADEM and the Governor’s Office of Resiliency to develop a written report with recommendations to improve the heat relief system in future summers. The reports are due on March 1, 2024.
ADHS’ tasks are supposed to describe where the heat relief stations should be and look at resource allocation changes needed in emergency departments, heat related workplace incidents, and morgue capacity. The report is also supposed to come up with a plan for more formalized & centralized statewide cooling centers. The report is supposed to include recommended statutory changes.
The Department of Administration (ADOA) is supposed to create a plan to better use state buildings and property for heat relief cooling centers and change personnel rules so that state workers could staff heat relief centers and have the time count toward their job.
The Governor’s Office of Resiliency and the Department of Emergency & Military Affairs are required to coordinate the comprehensive overall plan.
It’ll be interesting to see the quality of the reports that are due March 1, 2024. If the reports are detailed and actionable and IF those recommendations are translated into policy and funded, the plan has a chance to make substantive heat adaptation improvements.
A coalition of abortion care advocates (Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona, Healthcare Rising Arizona, the ACLU of Arizona, NARAL Arizona, Affirm Sexual and Reproductive Health and Arizona List) filed a ballot measure with the Secretary of State last week that would expand access to abortion care in the AZ Constitution.
The Arizona Abortion Access Act would permit abortions up to the point of fetal viability (around 24 weeks of pregnancy)… which was the law in Arizona prior to last year (a law signed by former Gov. Ducey last year prohibits abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy).
AzPHA Special Report: Women’s Reproductive Rights in Arizona 1864-2022
The constitutional amendment (if passed by the voters) would permit abortion care above 24 weeks to protect the life or physical or mental health of the mother. It would also prohibit any law penalizing a person who helps someone get abortion care.
The campaign will need to collect at least valid 383,923 signatures from voters by July 3, 2024, to qualify for the general election ballot. AZPHA member and Affirm CEO Bre Thomas estimates the effort will likely need to raise $0 – $50M.
The measure was carefully crafted to make sure it is of a single subject in compliance with Proposition 129. It also doesn’t raise any fees or taxes – meaning the measure can pass with 50% plus one vote as opposed to 60% as would be required by Proposition 132 if it raised taxes.
Good news. Cooler heads finally prevailed, and the legislature passed a measure last week that will allow Prop 400 on to the ballot in Maricopa County in the fall of 2024. Maricopa County is the only county that needs legislative approval to get their transport tax on to the ballot. It’d kind of a weird story. If you’re interested read this piece: Why Maricopa County’s Prop. 400 transit tax needs OK from Legislature
The measure is a compromise between various factions in the legislature – mainly the Dems and a few of the more centrist Republicans.
The measure will basically ask voters in Maricopa County to continue Proposition 400, a half-cent transportation tax that funds roads and public transportation. (See Senate Bill 1102). The tax funds street and highway projects, along with public transportation.
The money distribution ($24B over 20 years) is as follows: 40.5% allocated to freeways and highways, 37% to public transit and 22.5% to roads and intersections. It includes specific language saying that pot of money can’t be used to build new light rail lines. It also makes sure there won’t be a new light rail station or line around the Capitol.
State law requires all schools to check the vaccination status of their students and ensure they meet statutory requirements for attendance (e.g. are immunized with the required vaccines or has a proper exemption). Schools are also required to submit that data to the ADHS each fall (deadline is November 15). Data submission is required for Child Care/Preschool; Kindergarten; and 6th grade. ADHS is required to publish the data by school. That report comes out each Spring.
ADHS posts some aggregate tables but also a big giant spreadsheet with the vaccination rate by school. A clever parent that knows how to sort in Excel could quickly find the vaccination rate for their kid’s school. Here’s the big file with all the school data. You can look up individual school immunization rates here: ADHS – Arizona Immunization Program – State & National Immunization Coverage Data – Immunization Coverage Data
The statute requiring immunization administration and reporting makes it clear that private schools must comply See: ARS 36-671: “School” means a public, private or parochial school that offers instruction at any level or grade through twelfth grade…”
The cornucopia of new voucher micro-schools popping got me wondering… will the Arizona Department of Education & ADHS be following up to make sure the new unregulated micro schools are actually asking parents for immunization records (or an exemption form) as a condition of attendance this fall? Will they be reporting the results?
Private schools springing up as Arizona’s school voucher program grows
Established private schools have had some years to get up to speed, but the new micro and religious schools popping up overnight (and enjoying little accountability) are brand new.
Inquiring minds want to know what kind of outreach is happening to ensure compliance. Perhaps an Arizona journalist will follow up with Superintendent Horne & ADHS Director Cunico to find out!
ARS 15-871 Definition
ARS 15-872 Proof of Immunization; Noncompliance; Notice to Parents; Civil Immunity
ARS 15-873 Exemptions; Nonattendance During Outbreak
ARS 15-874 Records, Reporting Requirements
ARS 36-671 Definitions
ARS 36-672 Immunizations; department rules
ARS 36-673 Duties of local health departments; immunization; reimbursement; training; informed consent
ARS 36-674 Providing proof of immunization
Arizona Administrative Code Requirements 9-R9-6-700 through 708
In a Tweet yesterday afternoon Governor Hobbs mentioned she’s naming Jennifer (Jennie) Cunico to be the director of the Arizona Department of Health Services. In January Governor Hobbs had asked Cunico to be the acting director pending Dr. Theresa Cullen’s start date. Sadly, that nomination was sabotaged by the Chair of the Senate’s Committee on Director Nominations (Hoffman), and Cunico has continued to be in the acting director post until yesterday.
Jennie Cunico becomes Gov. Katie Hobbs’ pick at AZ Health Department
Ms. Cunico has worked at ADHS since 2014. For the first 5 years (2014–2019) she was an assistant bureau chief for emergency preparedness. For the second half of 2019 she was the deputy head of ADHS’ human resources department.
She was the chief professional development & community engagement officer for the next 3 years. That position didn’t exist when I was director & I don’t see it on the ADHS Org Chart, so I’m not sure what that job entails. In May 2022 former Interim Director Don Herrington promoted her to be the deputy director for operations – responsible for procurement, accounting, personnel and I.T.
Ms. Cunico has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from ASU (1990) and a Masters in Marriage & Family Therapy from the University of Phoenix (2004).
Ms. Cunico was in an acting position from January through yesterday. Her name wasn’t submitted to the Senate as the nominee during the 2023 legislative session. With this new decision, the Governor is supposed to turn in Ms. Cunico’s nomination to the Senate for confirmation in the first 2 weeks of the 2024 legislative session (ARS 38-211C).
At that point, the ARS 38-211E ‘one year clock’ will begin. If the Senate takes no action during the 2024 legislative session, Ms. Cunico could continue to be the official director until January 15, 2025 – two years after having taken up the director post (despite the 1-year limitation in ARS 38-211E).
Legislative Session Finally Ends: Senate Fails to Vet & Confirm Agency Nominees
Senate committee doesn’t ‘vet’ nominees. It sabotages them
Hobbs’ nominee for health director rejected in partisan Senate fight
ARS 36-102 Department of Health Services; Director; Qualifications
The director shall be appointed by the governor pursuant to section 38-211 and shall serve at the pleasure of the governor. The director shall be a person who has:
Arizona’s longest ever legislative session ended last week. Despite being in session for a record 7 months, the Senate completely failed in their responsibility to consider, vet, and confirm (or not) Governor Hobbs’ nominees to lead state agencies and other boards and commissions. That dereliction of duty creates very real governance and operational efficiency problems for agencies that have critical responsibilities.
It’s not just the nominees that are left in limbo… It’s also the rank-and-file staff who suffer because they are unclear about who will be in charge of their agency, what priorities they have, and direction regarding key decision-making and regulatory actions. Recruitment and retention of staff is difficult as it is- and the failure of the Senate leadership to do their job makes matters worse.
Look no further than the scathing Auditor General reports about the nonperformance and misconduct regulating nursing homes during the Ducey Administration to see the very real impacts on everyday Arizonans poor agency leadership can have: Auditor General’s Office Produces Scathing Review of ADHS’ Nursing Home Complaint Investigations During the Director Christ Era
Governor Hobbs has nominated dozens of persons to lead agencies who require Senate confirmation, yet the Senate has only confirmed 6 (Confirmed are: Glover; Ben Henry, Department of Liquor Licenses and Control; Susan Nicolson, Department of Real Estate; Ryan Thornell, Department of Corrections; Thomas Torres, Department of Forestry and Fire Management; and Jennifer Toth, Department of Transportation).
A big part of the inaction in the Senate is tied to a new committee that was assembled this year called the Committee on Director Nominations (DINO) chaired by Sen. Jake Hoffman. Previously, committees organized by topic area considered nominees (for example, a Senate Health and Human Services Committee would vet the governor’s pick to lead AHCCCS, ADES, and ADHS).
According to reporting done by Stacy Barchenger at the Arizona Republic, Senate President Petersen has promised that: “We’re going to continue nominations, the committee will continue meeting soon. That’ll occur shortly.” He also said there was a possibility of a special session to confirm nominees and said some could be confirmed next year when the Legislature returns to work. AZ Senate confirms DPS director on final day, leaves other nominees in limbo
The DINO Committee chair (Hoffman) has publicly stated that “The Committee on Director Nominations has postponed all further nominations pending this meeting.” Referring to a demand that Hobbs meet with Hoffman et.al. about grievances he (they) have about executive orders Hobbs has made.
Let’s assume the Senate Republican leadership doesn’t change their mind and continue to fail to do their job (e.g. don’t have a special session). What can be done to help out state government and staff? Anything?
Fortunately, the statutes about senate confirmation requirements are sufficiently vague and provide loopholes that could give Team Hobbs some stability and governance options in the absence of Senate feasance. See: 38-211 – Nominations by governor; consent of senate; appointment
You’ve probably heard that agency directors can serve up to one year without being confirmed by the Senate. While that’s true – the reality is that the law ARS 38-211 is more permissive than that. While the Legislature is in session, the ‘one year clock’ doesn’t start until the Governor actually sends the nominee’s name to the Senate. If the Governor doesn’t send the nominee’s name in, then the clock never starts.
If the term of any state office that is appointive pursuant to this section expires, begins or becomes vacant during a regular legislative session, the governor shall during such session nominate a person who meets the requirements of law for such office and shall promptly transmit the nomination to the president of the senate. If the senate rejects the nomination the nominee shall not be appointed, and the governor shall promptly nominate another person who meets the requirements for such office. If the senate takes no formal action on the nomination during such legislative session… the governor shall after the close of such legislative session appoint the nominee to serve, and the nominee shall discharge the duties of office, subject to confirmation during the next legislative session.
For example, Governor Ducey named Don Herrington as the acting ADHS director in the Summer of 2021. Ducey never formally nominated Don nor sent his name to the Senate… meaning the ‘one year time clock’ never started for him & he ended up in the job for more than 18 months despite the time limit in 38-211E: ‘In no event shall a nominee serve longer than one year after nomination without senate consent.’
Why? Because he was never really the nominee according to the statute.
Note: Jennifer Cunico has been the acting ADHS director since January 2, 2023, but hasn’t been formally nominated. As such, her ‘one year’ timeclock has not yet begun.
Option 1: Replicate the ‘Herrington/Cunico’ Model
Hobbs could also just keep replicating the Herrington/Cunico model. Simply keep naming ‘Acting’ agency directors. Appear to be recruiting a permanent nominee without really doing it. Never formally nominate the person but tell them and their staff and stakeholders that the acting status is permanent. Not an ideal arrangement, but it supplies more stability than the status quo.
Option 2: Recess Appointments
Now that the legislative session is officially over, a different part of the confirmation statute applies:
If the term of any state office that is appointive pursuant to this section… becomes vacant during a time in which the legislature is not in regular session, the governor shall nominate a person who meets the requirements of law for such office and shall transmit the nomination to the president of the senate during the first week of the next regular session. The nominee shall assume and discharge the duties of the office until rejection of the nomination or inaction of the senate.
Now that session is over, when Hobbs nominates folks for posts who require confirmation, the person’s one year time clock won’t start until at least early January – and even then, not until Hobbs actually formally sends the person’s name to the Senate. This could be paired with the Herrington/Cunico model. Simply keep the recess appointment directors “acting’ on paper indefinitely.
Option 3: The Wizard of Oz
Even persons who Hobbs has formally nominated for agency director posts but for whom the Senate took no action (e.g., Carmen Heredia at AHCCCS, Karen Peters at ADEQ etc.) have easy options for staying in their director position indefinitely even without confirmation (their one-year time clock started in February/March 2023)
For example, prior to the one-year time clock running out on an agency nominee (in March 2024) Hobbs could move the nominated director to a Deputy position that doesn’t require confirmation. Hobbs could then name a new ‘Acting Director’ (possibly even the former deputy). The Governor’s Office could make it clear to agency staff and stakeholders that the Deputy is the ‘real’ director, providing governance certainty for stakeholders and staff. The (fake) Acting Director could stay on indefinitely as long as Hobbs doesn’t formally nominate the person to the job. The Governor could even rotate the directors on paper – with the acting director and deputy trading positions after a year. Again, staff and stakeholders could be told exactly who the real decision-maker is Not ideal: but again… better than the status quo that Hoffman has delivered.
Editorial Note: As I noted above, a root cause of the confirmation problem is that Senator Jake Hoffman is thwarting the Senate’s confirmation responsibilities…. but DINO committee nonfeasance may take care of itself before the next legislative session.
Mr. Hoffman is one of 11 ‘fake electors’ who submitted (forged) false slates of electors to the national archives, avowing that he was among Arizona’s “duly elected and qualified electors” (part of the effort to illegally overturn the 2020 election). On Jan. 5, 2021, Hoffman even sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence asking him not to accept the state’s official electoral votes. The letter was sent on official state letterhead and had a return address of the state Capitol. See: Arizona’s 11 Republican fake electors face state, federal scrutiny
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has launched an investigation into Arizona’s fake electors (including Hoffman), similar to a probe in Michigan which has resulted in state criminal felony indictments. It is entirely possible that serious state criminal charges could be filed against Hoffman prior to the next legislative session, increasing the likelihood that Republican Senate leadership could remove his committee assignments (including as DINO Chair) pending trial, or possibly even expelling him, solving the DINO committee’s nonfeasance.
Arizona State Hospital needs independent oversight, isn’t getting it
Opinion: The Arizona State Hospital cares for some of the state’s most vulnerable people. Yet a lack of independent oversight is putting their lives at stake.
Senators Catherine Miranda and T.J. Shope
The two-year effort to improve care at the Arizona State Hospital went up in a puff of smoke again this year at the state Legislature.
That’s a bad thing for patients, their families and every Arizonan.
The Arizona State Hospital is located on a 93-acre, 260-bed campus in Phoenix providing inpatient psychiatric care to people with mental illnesses who are under court order for treatment.
Treatment at the hospital is considered “the highest and most restrictive” level of care in the state.
Patients are admitted because of an inability to be treated in a community facility.
The needs of patients at the state hospital can be complex and the patients are vulnerable, so it’s critical to make sure the hospital uses best practice treatment and follows a rigorous set of regulations.
A prerequisite to ensuring quality care is having a governance structure that’s accountable and free from conflicts of interest.
Sadly, that’s not what we have.
The Arizona State Hospital is part of the Arizona Department of Health Services — the same agency that’s responsible for regulating the Arizona State Hospital.
That’s a classic example of the fox watching the henhouse.
After suicide, it found ‘no deficiencies’
There is evidence that the lack of independent regulation has resulted in unchecked substandard care.
For example, in 2019, the state health department investigated a homicide at facility under its jurisdiction and concluded it wasn’t doing anything wrong and didn’t need to fix anything — indicating that there were “no deficiencies.”
And in 2021, a patient was provided scissors and let into a bathroom, where he died by suicide.
The department downplayed its role, as a spokesperson told ABC 15, “There appears to be an inaccurate assumption that every event should automatically result in a citation or a noted deficiency for a health care institution.”
These are not isolated incidents, and as former state health director Will Humble has pointed out, suicides and homicides are almost always the result of a deficient practice, such as a poor treatment plan or medical psych assessment.
State health department won’t regulate itself
We’ve learned a lesson the hard way that we can’t count on the state health department to regulate itself.
We need better institutional controls free from conflicts of interest.
For the last couple legislative sessions, Sen. David Gowan has proposed a commonsense solution to the governance problem that’s been plaguing care: Simply separate running and regulating the Arizona State Hospital.
Senator Gowan’s bill would have set up a five-member State Hospital Governing Board and transferred operational responsibilities to the board.
Members of the governing board would be appointed by the governor. The Arizona State Hospital superintendent would report to the governing board rather than the state health director.
The Arizona Department of Health would then regulate the facility, just like it does every other hospital, but without a conflict of interest.
It’s time to fix this systemic flaw
There was bipartisan support for this important change — with the bill passing 27-2 in the state Senate, only to be undermined in the House at the 11th hour because the governor’s office had concerns about the “civil rights implications” of the bill.
For the life of us we don’t understand why there would be resistance to this commonsense change.
It’s time to fix this systemic flaw.
We call on Gov. Katie Hobbs to call together lawmakers of both parties and come up with a plan she can support to fix this major conflict of interest that has been jeopardizing patient care.
Fixing the governance structure may not guarantee that the state hospital will be well regulated, but it improves the chances that it will be.
The most vulnerable people in the state are counting on our elected and appointed officials to have their back.
So are their families. So does the public.
Let’s stop disappointing them, shall we?
Sen. Catherine Miranda is a Democrat representing Arizona Legislative District 11 (downtown Phoenix, Laveen, South Mountain, Guadalupe). Sen. T.J. Shope is a Republican representing Arizona Legislative District 8 in Pinal County and is chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. On Twitter: @CatherineSenate and
@TJShope
See also:
Arizona’s Medicaid program is largely run under a ‘managed care’ model. AHCCCS contracts with several managed care organizations or MCOs. Those contracted MCOs are responsible for developing a network of providers and ensuring their enrolled members are able to get the healthcare services they’re entitled to receive.
AHCCCS’ main job is to make sure their contractors (the MCOs) are doing their job and following AHCCCS’ requirements (and to make sure taxpayers are getting their ‘money’s worth’ from AHCCCS’ contractors).
Moneywise, the system is largely a ‘capitated model’ meaning each contractor gets a certain amount of money per enrolled member per month. How much the MCOs get per person per month depends on the category the person is in.
For example, AHCCCS pays a certain amount of money per month to the contractors’ healthy kids without special needs. That would be a pretty low amount per member per month. Kids with special needs like developmental disabilities would come with a lot more money per month. Healthy adults would come in with a certain amount per month that would be modest… but that dollar figure is a lot higher for adults that have been diagnosed with a Serious Mental Illness for example.
You can see why regulatory oversight is so important! I mean the contractors get a certain amount per person per month and if they spend less than that per person, they will make a profit.
That would be a good thing if the MCO’s healthcare provider network is doing a good job keeping their enrolled people healthy by catching things early. But… if the managed care organization is making a profit because their network of providers is really thin, and people can’t find a doctor to make an appointment – that would be bad.
Likewise, if one of their contractors is making a lot of money because they aren’t providing needed services to their adults with a serious mental illness (like supported housing, supported employment etc.) then that would be super bad. After all – AHCCCS is paying them a certain amount per person per month with the expectation they’ll actually be providing those services. It’s also bad because the people entitled to those services unnecessarily suffer.
So you can see why it’s so important for AHCCCS to be a good ‘regulator’ and continually make sure that their contractors are doing their job, providing the required services, contracting with an adequate network of providers and that taxpayers aren’t getting ripped off.
One of the primary regulatory tools AHCCCS has are called Administrative Claims Financial and Operational policies aka “ACOMs”…. which are the things their contractors (MCOs) need to follow as a condition of getting AHCCCS money.
When contractors don’t comply with AHCCCS’ expectations they can impose an “Administrative Action” like a Notice of Concern, Notice to Cure, a mandate for a Corrective Action Plan, or financial sanctions. Here’s a summary of the various Administrative Actions takes to regulate their contractors.
See Guides & Manuals for Health Plans and Providers
From time-to-time AHCCCS makes changes to the expectations they have for their contractors. They do that by changing those ACOMs. Those changes can be very significant. Think about it. When AHCCCS changes the contractual expectations, it can affect the care that all 2.5 million persons enrolled in AHCCCS. Why? Because those changes affect the expectations AHCCCS has for their contractors – and those contractors will then change the expectations they have for their provider network – and ultimately the experiences AHCCCS members have.
Right now, AHCCCS has 27 of their ACOMs out for public comment. Here’s the website with the open ACOM modification proposals: AHCCCS ACOM Comment Portal. Five of the ACOM changes have comment deadlines this Thursday including changes in expectations for maternal and child health, services for folks with a serious mental illness (including eligibility determination), waste fraud and abuse and how they’ll assign new members to contractors (MCOs)
It’s important for people who are ‘in the know’ to keep up with the proposed changes and provide comments to AHCCCS – as some of the changes to these ACOM expectations can have profound impacts on how services are provided and the quality of care that AHCCCS members get.
If you’re a subject matter expert – or an advocate for persons who receive services, please take the time to check out AHCCCS’ proposed changes and comment on them! Even minor changes to some of these policies can have a huge impact on real people.
Here’s a quick summary of the proposed changes that have a comment deadline this week:
AMPM EXHIBIT 400-3 – Maternal & Child Health
This one makes changes in the expectations AHCCCS has for their contractors for members who are pregnant.
ACOM POLICY 103 – Fraud Waste and Abuse
This one completely overhauls AHCCCS’ auditing expectations for the contractors and changes reporting expectations and the way contractors are expected to interact with AHCCCS’ Office of the Inspector General.
AMPM POLICY 320-O – Behavioral Health Assessments, Service and Treatment Planning
This ACOM change makes massive changes to behavioral health services planning, including very different expectations for AHCCCS’ ‘fee-for-service’ programs (American Indian Health Plan). Note: It looks like some of these changes are geared to prevent the fraud perpetrated during the Ducey Administration in the AIHP.
AMPM POLICY 320-P – Eligibility Determination for Individuals with a Serious Mental Illness
This ACOM policy change proposed big changes in the way eligibility determinations are made for persons with a Serious Mental Illness.
ACOM POLICY 314 – Auto Assignment Algorithm
When people newly qualify for AHCCCS they can pick the managed care organization they want to manage their care. If people don’t pick a health plan then AHCCCS picks one for them (called auto assignment). This ACOM change shifts the way AHCCCS makes those decisions by rewarding health plans who have good results on their provider and member surveys.
