Lawmakers this year eliminated a health care program for middle-class parents, but now the state-run health insurance program for children is on the chopping block. The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System has reported it would have to eliminate the KidsCare program if it is required to trim 15 percent of its budget in the 2010 fiscal year.

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.

A five-month battle over health care spending between Gov. Jan Brewer and Republican leadership reached a breaking point early this week after Brewer asked lawmakers to set aside hundreds of millions of dollars of additional spending for state-run health care programs.

More Arizonans than ever are visiting Casa Grande’s Sun Life Family Health Clinic, but not because they need to see a doctor. Instead, they’re there to enroll in the state-run Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) after falling victim to the economic downturn.

Lawmakers and budget officials have been estimating the deficit of the upcoming fiscal year at about $3 billion, even though the economy has continued a treacherous slide and state revenues have eroded at an alarming pace.

The actual cut to Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System will be more than double than what appears in print if lawmakers approve the fiscal 2010 budget plan without including a routine funding adjustment to cover inflation in health care costs.

A House panel voted along party lines May 5 to approve a fiscal 2010 budget bill that relies on $630 million in spending cuts and taking another $394 million from other dedicated funds.