Vol. 75/No. 9      March 7, 2011

Barack Obama appointee Kathleen Sebelius, the department secretary, wrote Arizona governor Janice Brewer February 15 to say that the state government needed no federal approval to drop the patients when the program they are in expires next September. The 250,000 are in the “childless adults” category and thus coverage is not mandatory.

Under the health-care “reform” law passed last year, states are supposedly required to maintain current government-run Medicaid health-insurance coverage in order to continue receiving federal funds. But when Brewer asked Sebelius for approval of a plan to terminate coverage for the 250,000, the secretary wrote back that none was needed. She advised the governor to simply allow their coverage to lapse next September.

Arizona is one of several state governments seeking to take advantage of the health department’s offer to assist states in making big cuts to Medicaid without violating federal law.

Sebelius noted that the Arizona government in the last year previously won her department’s approval for other cuts, including ending coverage of most pancreas, lung, heart, and liver transplants; eliminating coverage of preventative dental care, crowns, fillings, root canals, and dentures; and sharply reducing physicals, hospice services, and occupational therapy.

“Arizona is a leader, particularly with respect to its managed care initiatives,” the health secretary said in her letter.

In addition, Arizona’s government has cut payments to doctors by 10 percent and frozen new enrollment in KidsCare, a child insurance program. There are 80,000 children on a waiting list for the service.  
 
 
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