By Jeremy Duda
Arizona Capitol Times
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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services dashed Arizona’s hopes that it may be eligible for increased Medicaid funding even if it doesn’t fully expand coverage under the Affordable Care Act.
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Wednesday informed states they will not get enhanced funding for partial Medicaid expansion. States that expand coverage to include people earning up to 133 percent of the federal poverty limit – which totals about $14,856 for an individual – will get a substantial increase in federal matching funds.
But many in Arizona were hoping to get enhanced matching funds if the state restores coverage that was cut in the past several years from the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, the state’s Medicaid program, but does not take on the full expansion allowed by the Affordable Care Act.
AHCCCS spokeswoman Monica Coury said the agency was disappointed by the all-or-nothing approach taken by HHS.
