Arizona Medicaid Program Advances $41 Million in Provider Payments

To help health care providers address the COVID-19 emergency and ensure their ongoing viability, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), Arizona’s Medicaid agency, is advancing more than $41 million in scheduled payments to hospitals, primary care providers, behavioral health outpatient providers, and justice clinic providers who participate in the agency’s Targeted Investments program.

“Arizona’s hospitals, doctors and behavioral health professionals have supported those in need during the COVID-19 health emergency and well before,” said Governor Doug Ducey. “AHCCCS is providing these payments ahead of schedule so we can ensure these health care providers and professionals can continue to serve Arizonans without interruption. My thanks to frontline workers and health care professionals across the state working around the clock to protect public health and safety.”

More than 106 provider organizations will receive a portion of the funds they were scheduled to receive in the fall of 2020 as a part of their successful participation in the five-year Targeted Investments initiative, which supports providers as they integrate physical and behavioral health services. The program rewards participants for meeting certain quality metrics demonstrating enhanced care coordination within and across providers and clinic settings. The $41 million is not new funding but an existing allocation. AHCCCS expects the payments to be made in early May.

The funding advance comes on the heels of additional steps AHCCCS has taken to financially support Arizona health care providers, including: making $5.3 million in additional payments to Critical Access Hospitals; accelerating $50 million in payments to hospitals that participated in the Graduate Medical Education program in 2019; advancing $2.5 million to trauma hospitals; making $6 million in additional payments to nursing facilities; advancing supplemental payments to three hard-hit nursing facilities by one month; and initiating retention payments to providers who offer attendant care and/or personal care services to individuals who are elderly or have physical disabilities enrolled with AHCCCS’ long-term care program.

To learn more about the actions AHCCCS has taken to address the COVID-19 emergency, see the AHCCCS COVID-19 web page and accompanying Frequently Asked Questions section.