AHCCCS Receives Two Grant Funding Extensions to Provide COVID-19 Crisis Counseling
AHCCCS received an additional $2.4 million in federal grant funding extensions that will continue crisis counseling services for any Arizona resident affected by COVID-19.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) extended $118,651 in grant funding for the Immediate Services Program/Crisis Counseling Program to provide crisis counseling services through September. The Immediate Services grant was intended to quickly address community need during the public health emergency. In addition, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) extended another $2.2 million to provide COVID-19 crisis counseling services through the Regular Services Program/Crisis Counseling Program.
Crisis Response Network is administering the program through the ResilientArizona.org Crisis Counseling Program.
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AHCCCS to Align Whole Person Care Initiative Strategies With Existing Program
As COVID-19 has shifted the agency's focus to maintaining current services for our members and providers, AHCCCS will continue to address social determinants of health with a series of smaller-scale, cost-effective initiatives within the parameters of the existing Medicaid program.
Under the Whole Person Care Initiative, AHCCCS and Health Current, Arizona’s Health Information Exchange (HIE), are sourcing a new technical tool for providers— a closed-loop referral system, allowing providers to more easily identify social risk factors in the context of a clinic visit and connect members s to community based agencies who can address those specific needs. Additionally, in its ongoing effort to ensure access to needed housing supports and services, AHCCCS will contract with a single statewide housing administrator to manage all AHCCCS permanent supportive housing subsidies beginning October 2021.
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All Ordering, Referring, Prescribing and Attending Providers Must Register to Ensure Claims Payment
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the 21st Century Cures Act (Cures) require that all health care providers who provide services to, order (refer), prescribe, or certify health care services for AHCCCS members must be enrolled as an AHCCCS provider as of January 1, 2021. Until these Acts passed, referring, ordering, prescribing and attending providers were required to obtain a National Provider Identifiers (NPI) but were not required to be enrolled as an AHCCCS provider.
Beginning on Jan. 1, 2021 claims which include referring, ordering, prescribing or attending providers who are not enrolled with AHCCCS will not be reimbursed.
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Governor Ducey And Health Leaders Urge Arizonans To Get Flu Shot
On August 31, 2020, Governor Ducey announced a plan of action to increase influenza vaccination rates and urge Arizonans to get the flu shot. As part of these efforts, AHCCCS is implementing a multi-pronged strategy to enable certified pharmacists to administer the flu vaccine to children currently enrolled in AHCCCS; increase payments to providers for flu vaccines and vaccine administration by 10 percent; and provide a $10 gift card to all managed care members who obtain an influenza vaccination. Providers can learn more in the AHCCCS COVID-19 FAQs.
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Member Eligibility Verifications To Resume
Since the start of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) in March 2020, AHCCCS suspended all Medicaid disenrollments (unless a member moved out of state, voluntarily disenrolled, died, or aged out of KidsCare), per federal requirements. The PHE is scheduled to expire on Oct. 22, 2020 unless the United States Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services opts to extend it.
In anticipation of the expiration, AHCCCS will begin to request eligibility information from members whose eligibility requires additional information. However, no member will be disenrolled, regardless of eligibility, until after the PHE ends.
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2020 Health Current Virtual Summit and Trade Show Goes Virtual
Registration is now open for ACHIEVE 2020, the 13th Annual Health Current Virtual Summit & Trade Show, scheduled for October 13 - 14. This year’s virtual event features a variety of presentations on a range of topics, including an HIE update on new technologies and services; the latest HIT legislative and legal updates; use cases by HIE participants; and panel discussions on multiple topics, including Arizona’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Register here.
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Quarterly Tribal Consultation
Waiver Renewal Public Forums
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