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May 24, 2023

AHCCCS Moves Housing and Health Opportunities Program Implementation Date

AHCCCS announces a change in the planned start date of its federally-approved Housing and Health Opportunities (H2O) waiver demonstration project in order to complete operational and system integration planning. The new implementation date is October 1, 2024.

The Housing and Health Opportunities waiver demonstration project is an innovative approach to address health-related social needs for AHCCCS members with a Serious Mental Illness who are leaving a correctional setting or have additional chronic health conditions. Prior to implementation, AHCCCS must receive approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on two deliverables that will describe the operational details of the program. AHCCCS submitted the H2O Protocol, the first of these two deliverables in April. Subsequently, CMS and AHCCCS agreed that additional time will be needed to complete the implementation planning.

AHCCCS has prioritized housing as health care and has been able to use State General Fund dollars to support rental subsidies for nearly 3,000 individuals experiencing homelessness each year. AHCCCS and its contracted health plans have successfully leveraged this experience to expand housing opportunities, improve member health outcomes, and reduce overall health care costs.

Once implemented, AHCCCS will be able to reimburse providers for up to six months of medically necessary transitional housing and services that support a member’s success in housing, like tenant rights education, eviction prevention, and medically necessary home modifications.

More information about H2O is posted on the AHCCCS Housing and Health Opportunities Waiver Demonstration web page.

Make a Well-Care Visit Part of Your Child’s

Back-to-School Plan

AHCCCS members ages 3-19 who complete their first well-care

visit this summer can receive a $25 gift card

As you check off the list of your child’s back-to-school items, AHCCCS encourages parents to schedule a well-care visit for health screenings and routine vaccines. AHCCCS or KidsCare members, ages 3-19, and who complete their first well-care visit of 2023 between June 5 and Sept. 5 are eligible to receive a $25 gift card from their health plan.

“Well-care visits are a vital tool to screen for health conditions and preventable diseases,” said Dr. Sara Salek, chief medical officer at AHCCCS. “We want to help children get a healthy start this school year.”

At your child’s annual visit, your doctor will check key development milestones, monitor any conditions like asthma or allergies, and talk to you about any vaccines your child might need to enter school. They may also be able to address any emotional, developmental, or social concerns.

Once your child completes their well-care visit, your health plan will provide details of how to receive your $25 gift card. This gift card is available to AHCCCS or KidsCare members, ages 3-19, who complete their first well-care of 2023 between June 5 and Sept. 5 and who are enrolled in an AHCCCS managed care health plan. Participating AHCCCS managed care health plans include: Arizona Complete Health, Banner University Family Care, Care1st, Health Choice Arizona, Molina Healthcare, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, and Mercy Care Plan.

Schedule your child’s well-care visit today. Learn more on the AHCCCS Back to School web page.

Members Who Lose AHCCCS Coverage May Have Continuity of Care Option

AHCCCS members who have recently lost AHCCCS coverage and are now enrolled with another health insurance company may be able to continue seeing a previous health care provider to continue a course of treatment.

Arizona law allows a new member in a health insurance plan with a life-threatening illness or in the last trimester of pregnancy to continue an “active course of treatment” with their previous health care provider when certain requirements are met. This continuity of care lasts only for a limited time. The new member must send a written request to the new health plan in order to ask to continue care with a previous provider.

To get continuity of care with a previous provider, an individual must be a new member of a health insurance plan and:

1. Have a life-threatening disease or condition (continuity of care coverage is limited to not more than 30 days after the effective date of enrollment), or
2. Have entered the third trimester of pregnancy on the effective date of enrollment with the new health insurance plan (continuity of care coverage includes delivery and care up to six weeks after delivery when the care is related to the delivery.)

The new health insurance plan is required to provide this continuity of care with no ban on any preexisting condition(s) when:

1. The member submits a written request to the new health insurance plan to continue an “active course of treatment” with a previous provider,
2. The previous provider agrees in writing to accept payment at the rates of the new health insurance plan, and
3. The previous provider agrees to the new health insurance plan's other requirements.

Members with questions about getting continuity of care and treatment from a previous health care provider should contact their new health insurance plan as soon as they are no longer eligible for AHCCCS coverage.