AZ's Budget Passed Into Law

[Kabin]

They're will be lawsuits challenging it but it's a done deal for now.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2011/04/02/20110402arizona-lawmakers-approve-budget-cuts.html

Half of the budget cuts, or $510 million, come from the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, primarily by freezing enrollment of childless adults in the Medicaid program.

Hospitals have been bracing for the cuts while fiercely lobbying for an alternative plan that would tax their revenues and draw down more federal funding.

Betsey Bayless, CEO for Maricopa Integrated Health Systems, said eliminating health care for most of the childless-adult population will be devastating for Maricopa Medical Center and other safety-net hospitals.

"There's no question that this budget is going to hurt the health-care industry very badly," she said.

[mom2a1c2]

did the governer sign it yet?

[Kabin]

She signed it Thursday.

[mom2a1c2]

Thank you. I just turned in my application for childcare assistance while I am in school last week.

[Kabin]

The Feds reluctantly approved AZ's plan to strip medicaid services. Looks like it's the pay-down program where families could spend down savings to qualify for medicaid services.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2011/04/29/20110429arizona-medicaid-freeze-approval.html

Effective Sunday, Arizona will stop accepting enrollment in the medical-expense-deduction program and will eliminate it entirely Oct. 1 to help bridge state budget deficits.

The program now offers temporary help to about 5,700 people, including nearly 1,000 children, whose families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but whose medical expenses from catastrophic illness or injury cause their remaining income to fall well below the poverty line. They receive Medicaid coverage for three to six months, which is intended to allow them to regain their health and return to work.