Today, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) received approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to extend its moratorium on enrollment of certain provider types for up to six months.
“The agency continues to make significant progress in its pursuit to combat fraud within our program,” said Carmen Heredia, cabinet executive officer of AHCCCS. “We know there is still work to be done to keep our members and program safe. This extension gives us more time to ensure we are able to keep bad actors out and continue our work to stop this scheme within Arizona’s Medicaid program.”
The extended moratorium continues to include all Behavioral Health Outpatient Clinics, Integrated Clinics, Non-Emergency Transportation providers, Behavioral Health Residential Facilities, and Community Service Agencies.
An exemption process has been in place since the first moratorium was implemented in May 2023. Providers impacted by the moratorium can apply for an exemption on the AHCCCS website. As of May 2024, AHCCCS has received 294 moratorium exemption requests. Of those requests, the agency has approved 92, denied 198, and has four that are under consideration.
While the moratorium was granted for another six months, the agency can choose to end the moratorium before that date.
More information about the agency’s efforts to combat fraud can be found at www.azahcccs.gov/soberlivingfraud.
