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Arizona gives ‘low income’ assorted meanings
A family of four can bring in more than $60,000 annually to be considered low income for the state’s recently expanded voucher program, allowing them to access more funds to attend private school. But to be considered low income for various other state programs, like ones that allow the poor to buy food or basic necessities like toilet paper, the line is much lower, meaning fewer people qualify [...]
Budget nuggets: winners, prospective teachers, horse breeders; losers, some kids
While the big ticket and politically charged budget items get most of the attention, there are hundreds of items that get little to no fanfare. Following are a few of those items.
Plan to replace Obamacare stirs fear in families, creates political pickle
The GOP bill, backed by House Speaker Paul Ryan and President Donald Trump, would effectively halt Arizona’s 2013 Medicaid expansion.
US OKs end to Arizona enrollment freeze in program for kids
Federal officials have approved Arizona's plan to allow additional low-income families in need of affordable health insurance to enroll their children for coverage for services in September.
Ducey role in KidsCare passage minimal, but crucial at the end
As the debate raged over the restoration of KidsCare, a federally funded health insurance program for low-income children, Gov. Doug Ducey remained firmly on the fence.
Children’s health insurance program to begin in September
Low-income Arizona families in need of affordable health insurance for their children can begin receiving coverage in September under a new plan offering relief for the working poor.
Ducey signs KidsCare children’s health insurance bill
Arizona is going to restore a program it shelved six years ago to provide health care to the children of the working poor.
Senate passes KidsCare, sends measure to Ducey
Thwarted in earlier attempts, Republican supporters of a program to provide health insurance to the children of the working poor outmaneuvered their own leadership Thursday night to have the measure given approved by the House.
House Republicans reject KidsCare restoration in budget
The House of Representatives rejected an attempt to restore a federally funded children’s health insurance program over concerns that it would “blow up the budget.”
Dems, advocates push for KidsCare
As lawmakers milled around the Capitol waiting for the final word on a budget deal, children’s advocates and legislative Democrats made a last-minute attempt to ratchet up the pressure to restore Arizona’s KidsCare program.
KidsCare is an important health resource for Arizona families
In my five decades of providing medical care to Arizona children, I have realized that Medicaid (AHCCCS) and KidsCare (Arizona’s version of a Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as CHIP) are critical for low-income families. KidsCare has been frozen since 2010, and the Legislature now has the opportunity to include lifting the freeze in their budget negotiations, while the federal gover[...]
Backers of insurance for poor children hope to pressure Biggs
Stymied by the Senate president, supporters of restoring health insurance to the children of the working poor are hoping to apply some very visible public pressure.
