AHCCCS; redeterminations; eligibility verification; report

Plain English Breakdown

The official text states 'at least every six months,' which allows for more frequent checks but does not mandate exactly twice per year.

SB1398: More Frequent Eligibility Checks for Adult AHCCCS Members and New Reporting Rules

This law requires Arizona's health program to check if adults aged 21 and older still qualify for coverage at least every six months starting January 1, 2027.

What This Bill Does

• Requires AHCCCS to recheck eligibility for adult members who are at least 21 years old at least once every six months beginning January 1, 2027.
• Mandates that the agency use available data sources to verify if these adults still meet program rules.
• Orders an annual report by December 1 of each year sent to state leaders and committees.
• Requires the report to list new applications received in the previous contract year.
• Requires the report to include counts of completed eligibility checks from the prior year.

Who It Names or Affects

• Adult AHCCCS members who are at least 21 years old
• The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS)
• State officials including the Governor, legislative leaders, and health committee members

Terms To Know

Redetermination

A process where an agency checks if a person still meets the rules to stay in a program.

Asset verification

Checking what property or money a person owns as part of determining eligibility for certain programs.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify the exact date it becomes effective, only that it takes effect on the general effective date.
• The text notes no expected cost impact on the General Fund but does not detail specific budget changes or implementation costs.

Official Summary Text

SB1398 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
HHS������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ AS
PASSED BY COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

AMENDED

FACT SHEET FOR
s.b. 1398

AHCCCS;
redeterminations; eligibility verification; report

Purpose

Requires the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) to
determine the continued eligibility of adults who are at least 21 years old at
least once every six months and prescribes related reporting requirements.

Background

The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) administers
Arizona�s Medicaid program and determines eligibility for coverage based on
federal and state requirements. AHCCCS is responsible for verifying applicant
information, enrolling eligible individuals and periodically redetermining
member eligibility to ensure continued compliance with program criteria (
A.R.S. � 36-2903
).

Under federal law, state Medicaid agencies must renew eligibility for
most beneficiaries at least once every 12 months and may not conduct renewals
more frequently than that interval except in limited circumstances. States must
attempt to verify eligibility using available data sources before requesting
information from the beneficiary and must redetermine eligibility whenever they
receive information indicating a potential change in circumstances that could
affect eligibility (
42
C.F.R. � 435.916
).

There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund
associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1.

Requires
AHCCCS, beginning January 1, 2027, to redetermine the eligibility of any adult
member who is at least 21 years old at least every six months.

2.

Requires
AHCCCS, by December 1 of each year, to report to the Joint Legislative Budget
Committee, Governor, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of
Representatives (House) and members of the Senate and House Health and Human
Services Committees, or their successor committees, all of the following:

a)

the number of new eligibility applications for enrollment received in
the previous contract year;

b)

the number of eligibility verifications completed in the previous
contract year;

c)

the number of applications received in the previous contract year for
enrollment in an AHCCCS program that requires asset verification as part of the
eligibility process; and

d)

the number of asset verifications completed in the previous contract
year.

3.

Becomes
effective on the general effective date.

Amendments
Adopted by Committee

�

Makes technical changes.

Senate Action

HHS���� 2/19/26����� DPA������� 4-3-0

Prepared by Senate Research

February 20, 2026

MM/SDR/hk

Current Bill Text

SB1398 - 572R - S Ver

Senate Engrossed

AHCCCS;
redeterminations; eligibility verification; report

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SENATE BILL 1398

AN
ACT

Amending title 36, chapter 29, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 36-2929.01; relating to the
Arizona health care cost containment system.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section
1.
1. Title
36, chapter 29, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding
section 36-2929.01, to read:

START_STATUTE
36-2929.01.

Redeterminations; eligibility verification; annual report

A. Beginning January 1, 2027,
notwithstanding any other provision of this article to the contrary, at least
every six months the administration shall determine the continued eligibility
of any adult who is at least twenty-one years of age.� The administration
shall verify eligibility using available data.

B. On or before December 1 of each
year, the administration shall annually report to the joint legislative budget
committee, the governor, the president of the senate, the speaker of the House
of representatives and the members of the senate and house of representatives
health and human services committees, or their successor committees,
all of the following:

1. The number of new eligibility
applications for enrollment in the system that were received in the previous
contract year.

2. The number of eligibility
verifications for enrollment in the system that were completed in the previous
contract year.

3. The number of applications
received in the previous contract year for enrollment in a program administered
by the administration that requires an asset verification as part of the
eligibility process.

4. The number of asset verifications
that were completed in the previous contract year.
END_STATUTE