Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, R, calls for the expansion of Medicaid, Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2013 in Phoenix with healthcare and business leaders at Maricopa Medical Center. An expansion would call for $8 billion in federal assistance for the State over three years. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Due to the continued struggles of many Arizonans, Gov. Jan Brewer has proposed the expansion of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) to take advantage of the Affordable Care Act.

Since the state government froze the eligibility of the childless adult population in July 2011, nearly 141,000 people have been dropped from state health insurance. Coupled with the economic downturn of the last several years, Arizona’s health care system has suffered significantly. For TMC, as well as hospitals across Arizona, uncompensated hospital care has risen by 81 percent since the freeze and shows no signs of slowing.

The restoration of the childless adult population and the additional expansion would provide 240,000 Arizonans with health insurance.

While Gov. Brewer has included the expansion in her budget, it is still necessary for the  state legislature to approve it. If you support the expansion, please contact your legislators. They must hear from the healthcare community and others impacted by the decision to expand.

Please click here to contact your legislators and tell them that you support the AHCCCS expansion as the most financially viable way to lift the enrollment freeze on Prop. 204. Expansion will allow low-income Arizonans to access care at the right time in the right setting. This will reduce overall per patient healthcare costs and improve the quality of life for patients suffering from debilitating illnesses and injuries. With the right care and treatment, many of these patients will be able to maintain employment or return to the workforce, thus strengthening our economy and greatly improving individual lives.