ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Fifty-fifth Legislature First Regular Session

---

HB 2291: AHCCCS; pregnant women; dental care.

Sponsor:  Representative Osborne, LD 13

Committee on Health & Human Services

Overview

Requires Arizona Health Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) contractors to provide comprehensive dental care to eligible pregnant women and appropriates monies to AHCCCS to provide these services.

History

Established in 1981, AHCCCS is Arizona's Medicaid program that oversees contracted health plans to coordinate and provide physical and behavioral health care to individuals and families who qualify for Medicaid and other medical assistance programs. AHCCCS is jointly funded through federal and state governments to provide health care to qualifying individuals including low-income adults, their children and people with certain disabilities.

Current law requires contractors to provide the following services to eligible members: 1) inpatient hospital services; 2) outpatient hospital services; 3) laboratory and X-ray services; 4) prescription medications; 5) medical supplies, durable medical equipment, insulin pumps and prosthetic devices; 6) treatment of medical conditions of the eye; 7) early and periodic heath screening and diagnostic services; 8) family planning services; 9) podiatry services; 10) nonexperimental transplants; 11) emergency dental care; 12) ambulance and non-ambulance transportation; 13) hospice care; and 14) orthotics (A.R.S. § 36-2907).

Provisions

1. Requires AHCCCS contractors to provide comprehensive dental care for women who are at least 21 years of age and in any stage of pregnancy. (Sec. 1)

2. Appropriates $468,100 from the state GF in FY 2022 to AHCCCS to provide dental services to eligible pregnant women. (Sec. 2)

3. Makes a one-time appropriation of $3,630,600 from the state GF in FY 2022 to AHCCCS to cover costs incurred due to eligibility changes directly related to introducing a dental benefit for pregnant women. (Sec. 2)

4. Instructs AHCCCS to report, on or before October 1, 2022, to the Governor, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, the chairpersons of the Health and Human Services committees of the Senate and House of Representatives or their successors, the Directors of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the Governor's Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting the following information:

a) The actual costs incurred to provide dental services to pregnant women; and

b) The actual costs incurred due to eligibility changes directly related to introducing a dental benefit for pregnant women during FY 2022. (Sec. 2)

c)

d)

e) ---------- DOCUMENT FOOTER ---------

f)                         HB 2291

g) Initials EB/SF  Page 0 Health & Human Services

h)

i) ---------- DOCUMENT FOOTER ---------