Arizona for Better Medicaid sent a letter to the State Senate President and Speaker of the House in support of SB1225, an amendment to HB2426 that would appropriate funding from the state General Fund to support a provider rate increase for essential services for the I/DD population.

March 17, 2023 

Honorable Warren Peterson
Senate President 
Arizona State Senate
Phoenix, AZ 85007 

Honorable Ben Toma
Speaker of the House
Arizona House of Representatives
Phoenix, AZ 85007

CC: Honorable Members of Arizona Senate, Honorable Members of Arizona House of Representatives 

President Peterson and Speaker Toma, 

As the Executive Director of Arizona for Better Medicaid, I am writing on behalf of our coalition in support of Senator Shope’s committee amendment on House Bill 2426, which is designed to help accelerate the process of redeterminations. As way of background, Arizona for Better Medicaid is a multi-stakeholder group of health care leaders, providers, health plans, and other supportive members of our community. Our coalition is committed to helping to build a better Medicaid system that improves access, quality, outcomes, and affordability. 

As you may know, this amendment will speed up the process and seeks to appropriate a total of $83 million from the state General Fund and $156 million from the expenditure authority in FY 2024 to the Department of Economic Security. These dollars will support a provider rate increase for essential services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), home and community-based services (HCBS), and the Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP). These dollars are critical to better serving the more than 40,000 people with developmental disabilities and their families throughout Arizona each year. This population includes some of the most vulnerable in our community, those with autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy; cognitive or intellectual disability; Down syndrome, or those under six and at risk of having a developmental disability. 

Simply put, we believe these much-needed resources will enhance access to quality assistance to those with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) who depend on receiving Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) and other Home and Community Based Services (HCBS). We know that passage of this bill will aid the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), which is the division of the Department of Economic Security (DES) that empowers individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to lead self-directed, healthy and meaningful lives. 

We hope you will join us and so many others in the disability community in support of House Bill 2426. We appreciate your care and compassion for those in our community who are depending on all of us to ensure the best quality and access to care possible. 

Sincerely, 

Bettina Nava 

Executive Director Arizona for Better Medicaid