Governor Doug Ducey’s administration is proposing some major changes to the state’s Medicaid insurance plan. Officials released some basic details of the plan Monday morning.
With a few exceptions, the proposed changes would only apply to able-bodied adults. Officials estimate that’s about a quarter of Arizona Medicaid recipients.
Among the changes is a new co-pay, a lifetime limit of five years for adults who are not working and an insurance premium of up to 2 percent of a member’s income toward a personal health savings account. If members meet certain requirements, the HSA could be used for things like vision and dental care, which isn’t currently covered by Arizona’s medicaid program.
Christina Corieri is Governor Ducey’s healthcare policy adviser.
"We know that if we are successful with that and successful with improving health outcomes and getting people to really engage in our health choices that it will result in savings. Because that wasn’t the focal point of this piece we actually haven’t scored it yet."
Dr. Dan Derksen, the director of the center for Rural Health at the University of Arizona, said the proposal is in line with other states.
"I think we’re going to have to be very careful though and let the data and outcomes drive our decision making. If something isn’t working and those copays and cost sharing are interfering with access to necessary care I think we need to examine that and make necessary changes."
The Ducey administration will be gathering feedback through a series of public meetings. The proposed changes must still get federal approval. If passed, they’d go into effect in October of 2016.
