Enrollment in AHCCCS, Arizona's version of Medicaid up in Pima County, state

The number of people enrolled in Medicaid in Arizona has increased by 45 percent since January 2014.

Enrollment as of September was 1.9 million, up from 1.3 million in January 2014, the latest enrollment data show.

In Pima County, enrollment is 288,000, up 47 percent since January 2014, the data says.

Arizona’s Medicaid program, known as the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, AHCCCS, is for low- income residents. The AHCCCS budget for the current fiscal year includes $2.87 billion in state funds and $8.76 billion in federal dollars, for a total program budget of $11.64 billion.

Enrollment in AHCCCS spiked 2014 due to Medicaid expansion approved by then Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer in connection with the Affordable Care Act and due the restoration of childless adults to the program, which occurred at the same time.

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As of September, the state has also restored KidsCare to the AHCCCS program and in its first month of accepting children, nearly 3,000 signed up, the most recent state data shows.

KidsCare is for the children of parents who earn too much to qualify for AHCCCS but not enough to affordably pay for private insurance, even with subsidies offered through the Affordable Care Act.

The federal government last week approved a request by Gov. Doug Ducey to permit a fee of up to 2 percent of household income on AHCCCS enrollees who are above the poverty level — $24,250 per year for a family of four.

That fee, with a $25 a month maximum, would go into a, “health savings account,” which AHCCCS enrollees could use for noncovered services like dental, vision and chiropractic care, recognized weight-loss programs, nutrition counseling, gym membership and even sunscreen.

Members face disenrollment for failing to pay their monthly premium requirements.