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The lawsuit that led to the creation of the modern behavioral health care system in Maricopa County has created what many experts say is an artificial set of standards that ignores the real needs of patients. But confusion and disagreement over ways to improve the system have delayed the kind of meaningful reform that almost everyone in the health care community recognizes as necessary.

Magellan Health Services has adopted a slogan since taking over Maricopa County's behavioral health care system two years ago: "Getting Better All the Time." The reforms promised by the Maryland-based company in the months before taking control of the system were put on hold while the company tried to rebound from the loss of medical records, a critical audit by the court and a series of well-publicized murders committed by untreated patients.

Former-Rep. Eddie Farnsworth kicked up a great deal of dust in Gilbert last year when he decided to challenge long-time friend and fellow conservative Thayer Verschoor for the district's Senate seat. Farnsworth was narrowly defeated by Verschoor, who at the time was a favorite for Senate president. For the time being, Farnsworth said he is happy to be out of professional politics and doesn't know if he will ever again run for office.

School districts across the state could increase in-class spending using money generated from Internet advertisements if lawmakers in the Senate were to approve a measure that was first heard in committee more than four months ago.

A bill amended to help fund research into childhood diseases is headed for the 9th Floor after the House approved the measure in a 39-12 vote June 26. The bill, S1017, expands the list of special license plates to include a "childhood cancer research plate."

A group of Arizonans will attend a national grassroots effort June 25 to encourage Congress and President Obama to enact health care reform legislation this year. The group is a part of Health Care for America Now, a non-partisan organization ...

Supporters of a bill that would make the state’s medical-malpractice laws more stringent gained a victory June 24 during a hearing of the House Health and Human Services Committee.  S1018 would raise the bar of proof required to convict an ...

Gov. Jan Brewer is expected to meet with lawmakers and officials from the state’s health department later this week to discuss making reforms to the state’s behavioral health care system. The meeting is tentatively scheduled for June 23.

Arizona voters will be asked to reconsider a ballot measure that would prevent residents from being compelled to join a government-run health care system and guarantees the right to purchase private health insurance.

A lawmaker’s four-year struggle to turn a medical malpractice reform bill into law moved one step closer to a successful conclusion June 16 during a hearing of the Senate Healthcare and Medical Liability Reform Committee.