Arizona Senate Approves Medicaid, Unemployment Bills In Order To Receive $1.7B in Federal Stimulus Funds
The Arizona Senate on Wednesday approved two bills that would allow the state to receive $1.7 billion in federal economic stimulus funding for Medicaid and unemployment, the Arizona Republic reports (Benson, Arizona Republic, 4/23). One bill would reverse a requirement adopted last year that some childless adults reapply for Medicaid benefits every six months instead of annually. Because the rule took effect after a federally imposed cut-off date, CMS said the state was out of compliance with the requirements of the stimulus package. The state would use the Medicaid funds to help close budget shortfalls in this and next fiscal years.
A second bill would provide laid-off state residents with 13 additional weeks of unemployment benefits (Davenport, AP/Tucson Citizen, 4/22).
