This report analyzed Arizona’s then-impending decision on whether to accept or decline Federal funds to expand the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) and projected that the number of covered citizens would approach 280,000 additional people by 2020 while maintaining coverage for the 50,000 childless adults due to lose their eligibility. The assessment also examined that the total amount of expenditures for those covered under AHCCCS would result in an increase of more than 6,000 new jobs in 2014 and 9,000 new jobs by 2020. This employment would not only be in hospitals, clinics, nursing, and other health facilities, but also in those industries that support the Arizona health care industry and the various businesses in Arizona that would benefit from an increase in incomes. While there were some new costs associated with the expansion, these costs would be more than offset by the new state revenue and other health savings that the state could achieve.
George Washington University – Making a Decision on Expanding AHCCCS in Arizona [full PDF]
