Urban Institute Study

April 8, 2020

Examining the Effects of Medicaid Section 1115 Demonstration Waivers of Retroactive Eligibility – State of Arizona

Despite the longstanding and singular role played by the retroactive eligibility policy in the Medicaid program, little is known about how waivers of this policy affect beneficiaries and their families, safety net providers, and state Medicaid programs. Researchers from the Urban Institute, a policy research organization located in Washington, D.C., are examining the effects of Medicaid section 1115 demonstration waivers of retroactive eligibility to fill a gap in current research and provide timely information for policymakers and other health care stakeholders on the consequences of the waivers. This study is funded by the Commonwealth Fund.

The Elimination of Prior Quarter Coverage and the impact to providers is being tracked and evaluated by the Urban Institute. Benefit Results has been asked to participate in the gathering of data to help understand impact to Arizona’s providers. AHCCCS will be asking for input about the waiver through a state beneficiary survey, to be reported on towards the end of 2021. We need your help to gather this data, as it happens, to better illustrate impact.

The question we are focusing on is: Whether and how the waiver has affected individuals’ and families’ access to care, quality of care, and medical debt, providers’ uncompensated care costs, and Medicaid program costs and enrollment.

Please consider completing this short survey for each time your facility has uncompensated care due to lack of Prior Quarter Coverage between the dates of July 1, 2019 through June 2021 – click here and answer the six questions. No specific beneficiary data will be tracked, only financial impact reported. All information is confidential and will be provided directly to the Urban Institute for research data.

We appreciate your Input!!!