Assigned
to HHS & APPROP FOR
COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, First Regular Session
AHCCCS; speech therapy
Purpose
Requires the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) to cover the costs of speech therapy for eligible persons who are at least 21 years old.
Background
AHCCCS contracts with health professionals to provide medically necessary
health and medical services to eligible members. Currently, AHCCCS contractors
are required to provide:
1) inpatient and outpatient hospital services, excluding speech therapy; 2)
laboratory and X-ray services; 3) prescription medications; 4) medical
supplies, durable medical equipment, insulin pumps and prosthetic devices; 5)
treatment of medical conditions of the eye; 6) early and periodic health
screening and diagnostic services; 7) family planning services; 8) podiatry
services;
9) nonexperimental transplants; 10) emergency dental care; 11) ambulance and
nonambulance transportation; 12) hospice care; 13) orthotics; and 14) diabetes
outpatient self-management training services (A.R.S.
§ 36-2907).
The Hospital Assessment Fund consists of monies collected from an
assessment of hospital revenues, discharges or bed days for the purpose of
supplementing AHCCCS funding from the Proposition 204 Protection Account and
Arizona Tobacco Litigation Settlement Fund (A.R.S.
§ 36-2901.09).
Speech therapy is the assessment, diagnoses and treatment, by a speech-language pathologist, of communication and swallowing disorders. Speech therapy helps persons develop and maintain the ability to speak more clearly, understand and express thoughts and feelings and eat and swallow safely (Mayo Clinic).
If there is a cost associated with providing speech therapy services through AHCCCS, there may be a fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Removes, from AHCCCS-covered health and medical services, the exclusion of speech therapy for persons who are at least 21 years old.
2. Prohibits monies from the Hospital Assessment Fund from being used to provide speech therapy to eligible persons who are at least 21 years old.
3. Makes technical and conforming changes.
4. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
January 6, 2023
MM/MC/slp