A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Arizona's law requiring co-payments charged to the state's poorest residents violates federal law, according to an Arizona Republic report.
According to the report, the co-pays — part of Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, the state's Medicaid program — were approved in November, However, the court said raising the co-pays and making them mandatory for more than 200,000 of Arizona's poorest residents did not meet the federal standard of showing a "research or demonstration value."
Since November, childless adults and others covered under the AHCCCS could be turned down for medical care and medications if they couldn't afford for the co-pay.
Federal officials will now have two weeks to either appeal the decision or provide more information to the court proving the co-pays do more than cut the state's Medicaid budget, the report said.
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According to the report, the co-pays — part of Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, the state's Medicaid program — were approved in November, However, the court said raising the co-pays and making them mandatory for more than 200,000 of Arizona's poorest residents did not meet the federal standard of showing a "research or demonstration value."
Since November, childless adults and others covered under the AHCCCS could be turned down for medical care and medications if they couldn't afford for the co-pay.
Federal officials will now have two weeks to either appeal the decision or provide more information to the court proving the co-pays do more than cut the state's Medicaid budget, the report said.
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