Currently, many of our Arizona citizens are not able to receive healthcare services due to the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) cuts that have occurred over the past 2 years. Restoring Arizona and Protecting our Healthcare Future is evoking change and participation by healthcare providers.

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Representative Joe Courtney (D-CT) has re-introduced a bill, which would deem an individual receiving outpatient observation services in a hospital to be an inpatient with respect to satisfying the three-day inpatient hospital requirement in order to entitle the individual to Medicare coverage of any post-hospital extended care services in a skilled nursing facility (SNF).

Please contact your Representative now and ask him or her to co-sponsor this legislation!
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ACMA Action Center

I have submitted our application for nomination for the National CMSA Public Policy award. We have a very good chance for winning! CMSA announces the winners at the National CMSA conference in New Orleans in June.

I attended the AZ Nurses Association Nurse Lobby Day February 12, 2013. Nurses from the state of Arizona listened to Rory Hays, JD, Az NA Lobbyist speak about the Governor’s Medicaid plan.

Highlights of the Proposal:

• Cost in first full year is $ 154 million from general fund in first full year of implementation.
• Arizona will receive almost $1.6 billion in federal funds.
• Funding would allow state to provide health insurance for an additional 240,000 Arizonans and continue insuring 50,000 childless adults.
• The general fund costs of Prop 204 would be shifted to a statewide provider assessment fee.
• If federal match for childless adults is cut below 80%, this action would be automatically repealed. read entire post »

2012 Public Policy Summit

Four CMSA Arizona professionals were privileged to attend the 2012 Public Policy Summit in Washington, DC April 23-24th. Deanna Diaz, Laura Bacharach, Mary Addison, and Kim Schmoll all heard from political insiders about the current Health Care Reform.

The Public Policy members from Arizona were able to evaluate current health care issues and concerns being addressed at the Federal level. Some of the knowledgeable speakers were Nick Bath, Senior Health Policy Advisor, Chairman; Senator Tom Harkins (D-IA); Sarah B. Dine, Deputy Editor, Health Affairs; Joe V. Selby, M.D., M.P.H., Executive Director of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute; and Ellen-Marie Whelan, NP, PhD. Senior Health Policy Analyst and Associate Director of Health Policy at the Center for American Progress. read entire post »