Vetoed by Governor Jan Brewer

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that establishes a work requirement for certain Medicaid recipients.

Highlights:

• Requires the Director of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) to apply annually for federal waivers or amendments from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in order to implement a work requirement (Sec. 1). 

• Specifies that the work requirement will require all eligible, “able-bodied”, Medicaid recipients that are at least 18 years of age or older to perform the following actions (Sec. 1):
• To become employed;
• To actively seek employment; or 
• To attend a job training program. 

• Defines “able-bodied” as an individual who is physically and mentally capable of working (Sec. 1). 

• Requires an individual to report to AHCCCS on a monthly basis regarding compliance with the work requirement and any changes in family income (Sec. 1). 

• Authorizes AHCCCS to prohibit an individual from receiving Medicaid benefits for 1 year if the individual fails to report a change in family income or makes a false statement regarding his or her compliance with the work requirement (Sec. 1).

• Exempts the following eligible individuals from the work requirement (Sec. 1):
• An individual who is at least 18 years of age but is still attending high school as a full-time student;
• An individual who is the sole caregiver of a family member who is less than 5 years of age; or
• An individual who is currently receiving disability benefits from a private insurer or the government.

• Establishes a lifetime limit of 5 years for Medicaid benefits for eligible individuals, unless the individual meets any of the following criteria (Sec. 1):
• The individual is pregnant;
• The individual is the sole caregiver of a family member who is less than 5 years of age;
• The individual is currently receiving long-term disability benefits from a private insurer or the government;
• The individual is at least 18 years of age but is still attending high school as a full-time student; or
• The individual is employed full-time but still meets Medicaid income eligibility requirements.

• Requires the State of Arizona to develop and implement co-payments for the purpose of deterring non-emergency usage of emergency departments and ambulance services (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes a work requirement for certain Medicaid recipients.

Highlights:

• Requires the Director of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) to apply annually for federal waivers or amendments from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in order to implement a work requirement (Sec. 1). 

• Specifies that the work requirement will require all eligible, “able-bodied”, Medicaid recipients that are at least 18 years of age or older to perform the following actions (Sec. 1):
• To become employed;
• To actively seek employment; or 
• To attend a job training program. 

• Defines “able-bodied” as an individual who is physically and mentally capable of working (Sec. 1). 

• Requires an individual to report to AHCCCS on a monthly basis regarding compliance with the work requirement and any changes in family income (Sec. 1). 

• Authorizes AHCCCS to prohibit an individual from receiving Medicaid benefits for 1 year if the individual fails to report a change in family income or makes a false statement regarding his or her compliance with the work requirement (Sec. 1).

• Exempts the following eligible individuals from the work requirement (Sec. 1):
• An individual who is at least 18 years of age but is still attending high school as a full-time student;
• An individual who is the sole caregiver of a family member who is less than 5 years of age; or
• An individual who is currently receiving disability benefits from a private insurer or the government.

• Establishes a lifetime limit of 5 years for Medicaid benefits for eligible individuals, unless the individual meets any of the following criteria (Sec. 1):
• The individual is pregnant;
• The individual is the sole caregiver of a family member who is less than 5 years of age;
• The individual is currently receiving long-term disability benefits from a private insurer or the government;
• The individual is at least 18 years of age but is still attending high school as a full-time student; or
• The individual is employed full-time but still meets Medicaid income eligibility requirements.

• Requires the State of Arizona to develop and implement co-payments for the purpose of deterring non-emergency usage of emergency departments and ambulance services (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes a work requirement for certain Medicaid recipients.

Highlights:

• Establishes a work requirement for all eligible “able-bodied” individuals of at least 18 years of age who are receiving Medicaid that requires them to do the following (Sec. 1):
• Become employed;
• Actively seek employment; or 
• Attend a job training program. 

• Defines “able-bodied” as an individual who is physically and mentally capable of working (Sec. 1). 

• Requires the director of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System to apply annually for waivers or amendments from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to institute a work requirement (Sec. 1). 

• Requires an individual to verify with the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System on a monthly basis that he or she has complied with the work requirement, and any change in family income (Sec. 1). 

• Authorizes the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System administration to prohibit an individual from receiving Medicaid benefits for 1 year if the individual fails to report a change in family income or makes a false statement regarding his or her compliance with the work requirement (Sec. 1).

• Exempts the following eligible individuals from the work requirement (Sec. 1):
• An individual who is at least 18 years of age but is still attending high school as a full-time student;
• An individual who is the sole caregiver of a family member who is less than 5 years of age; or
• An individual who is currently receiving disability benefits from a private insurer or the government.

• Establishes a lifetime limit of 5 years for Medicaid benefits for eligible individuals, unless the individual meets any of the following criteria (Sec. 1):
• The individual is pregnant;
• The individual is the sole caregiver of a family member who is under 5 years of age;
• The individual is currently receiving disability benefits from a private insurer or the government;
• The individual is at least 18 years of age but is still attending high school as a full-time student; or
• The individual is employed full-time but still meets Medicaid income eligibility requirements.

• Requires the state of Arizona to develop and implement co-payments for the purpose of deterring the use of emergency departments and ambulance services for non-emergencies (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text