Ariz. Governor announces plan to cut Medicaid but restore some transplant funding

Gov. Jan Brewer asks HHS to approve proposal that would cut some enrollees and increase their cost sharing.

Modern Healthcare: Ariz. Governor Seeks 5-Year Medicaid Waiver
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer is asking HHS for a five-year waiver to reduce Medicaid rolls and increase member cost-sharing but also restore some organ transplant benefits. In a request to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius dated March 31, Brewer sought approval for a plan to freeze Medicaid enrollment for childless adults and parents. Her plan also includes eliminating emergency coverage to those who can't prove citizenship, and installing new co-payments for enrollees. She also is seeking to add a $50 annual coverage surcharge for smokers and adults with chronic conditions who don't stick to a care plan and meet goals to improve their health (Vesely, 3/31). 

The Associated Press/Washington Post: Arizona Governor Proposes Restoring Funds For Medicaid Coverage Of Transplants
Brewer announced the change Thursday as part of a major revamp of the state's Medicaid program. The plan, which includes enrollment freezes, would help save a projected $500 million to help close a $1.1 billion shortfall in the state's overall budget (3/31).

The Wall Street Journal: Arizona Proposes Medicaid Fat Fee
Arizona's governor on Thursday proposed levying a $50 fee on some enrollees in the state's cash-starved Medicaid program, including obese people who don't follow a doctor-supervised slimming regimen and smokers (Adamy, 4/1).