ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-sixth Legislature

First Regular Session

Senate: APPROP DP 7-2-1-0 | HHS DP 6-0-1-0 | 3rd Read 23-6-1-0

House: HHS DP 8-1-0-0


SB1017: AHCCCS; cochlear implants

Sponsor: Senator Shope, LD 16

Caucus & COW

Overview

☐ Prop 105 (45 votes)	     ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes)      ☐ Emergency (40 votes)	☒ Fiscal NoteRequires the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) to provide coverage of cochlear implants to eligible individuals who are at least 21 years old. 

History

Established in 1981, AHCCCS is Arizona's Medicaid program that oversees contracted health plans for the delivery of health care to individuals and families who qualify for Medicaid and other medical assistance programs. Through contracted health plans across the state, AHCCCS delivers health care to qualifying individuals including low-income adults, their children or people with certain disabilities.

Currently, AHCCCS is required to provide medical supplies, durable medical equipment, insulin pumps and prosthetic devices ordered by a physician or primary care practitioner. Hearing aids, dentures, bone-anchored hearing aids or cochlear implants are not included as prosthetic devices for eligible persons who are at least 21 years old that are covered by AHCCCS. Prosthetic devices, except prosthetic implants, may be limited to $12,500 per contract year (A.R.S. § 36-2907).

AHCCCS covers cochlear implants for children under 21 years of age under the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment Program.

The AHCCCS Director administers the Hospital Assessment Fund which consists of monies collected from an assessment of hospital revenues, discharges or bed days for the purpose of supplementing AHCCCS funding from the Prop 204 protection account and the Arizona Tobacco Litigation Settlement Fund (A.R.S. §§ 36-2901.08 and 36-2901.09).

Provisions

1.   Removes, from AHCCCS covered health and medical services, the exclusion of cochlear implants for persons who are at least 21 years old. (Sec. 1)

2.   Specifies that monies from the Hospital Assessment Fund cannot be used to provide cochlear implants to eligible individuals at least 21 years old. (Sec. 1)

3.   Makes technical and conforming changes. (Sec. 1)

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7.                     SB 1017

8.   Initials AG/KM      Page 0 Caucus & COW

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