Advocacy

AZ State CapitolPURPOSE

Per A.R.S. 36-2902.01 the AACIHC is established…to give tribal governments, tribal organizations and urban Indian health care organizations in this state, representation in shaping Medicaid and health care policies and laws that impact the populations they serve.
 

2021 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

Every year, the Arizona Advisory Council on Indian Health Care (AACIHC) creates a legislative agenda comprising of priorities that will positively impact the Indian Health Care System. This year three priorities are being advocated for. Ensure you stay updated with our weekly updates and by signing up on the Request to Speak (RTS) system.  

 

 

2021 AACIHC priorities:  

  • Creation of a 6th Area Health Education Center that Focuses on the Indian Health System

Summary of Bills: Creates a sixth Area Health Education Center (AHEC) that will focus on the Indian Health System. AHECs are committed to expanding the health care workforce while maximizing diversity and facilitating distribution, especially in rural and underserved communities and offer creative, hands-on and innovative health center curriculum for pre-college level students.

**6th AHEC Fact Sheet**

  • Exempting Indian Health Service/ tribal/ Urban Indian Health Facilities from the sliding fee scale requirement of the arizona state loan repayment programs (Azslrp)

Summary: Currently, the Indian Health Service (IHS) and Tribal 638 facilities are not eligible sites for the Arizona Student Loan Repayment Program due to a requirement to implement a sliding-fee-scale for clients to pay based on their income. In federal law, Tribal and IHS facilities do not have this requirement because they do not charge IHS-eligible clients for health care services rendered.

  • Creating an Uncapped dental benefit for pregnant women eligible for medicaid 

Summary of Bills: Requires AHCCCS contractors to provide comprehensive dental care to eligible pregnant women and appropriates money to AHCCCS to provide the dental services.

  • expandng medicaid coverage for postpartum women from 2 months to 12 months 

Summary: Extends Medicaid coverage to women who are less than one year postpartum whose family income is less than 150% of the FPL; appropriates $13M from the general fund and $900,000 from the Medicaid expenditure authority for FY22.

  • expanding income eligibility of kidscare from 200% FPL to 300% FPL

Summary: Increases the cap for eligibility for the Children's Health Insurance Program to those children with family income at or below 300% of the FPL

    Request to speak

     

    REQUEST TO SPEAK:

    Ensure you stay updated by creating a Request to Speak (RTS) account. The RTS system is a program designed for the public (and lobbyists) to weigh in on legislation and if you wish, sign up to speak in committee. You can use the RTS system to support or oppose legislation and provide your reasons why. *New RTS system accounts are required to be activated in person at the Arizona State Legislature.*

    Need and account? Create an RTS account

    Already have an RTS account? Sign on the RTS

    ARIZONA CAPITOL TELEVISION:

    Arizona Capitol Television (ACTV) is the Arizona Legislature’s state-run cable channel, providing constant coverage of the legislative process. In addition to committee recordings, ACTV also produces a wide array of feature pieces related to Arizona and its lawmakers.

    View live proceedings here.