Question for members about new AHCCCS co-pays starting in 2014.

[TM99]

I am currently on AHCCCS. I received a rather cryptic letter today from my plan - Mercy Care Plan - informing me that there will be changes to the co-pays in the new Adult Group, which I will be transitioned into apparently, starting in the Spring of 2014.

They do not, however, mention what those changes will be. Does anyone here have any further information on this? I presume this is related to Obamacare changes as Arizona did accept the ACA and are expanding Medicaid accordingly once more provided care for childless adults. I was already on AHCCCS when they stopped taking childless adults so I was able to keep my insurance.

I have pretty severe health problems, and I see several doctors including my PCP and specialists at least once a month. I am also on about 10 medications. At the current co-pay levels of $5.00 for office visits and $4.00 to $10.00 for medications, I already pay close to $100 a month for what I require. I am able to work only quarter-time in a private practice, with self-employment taxes, liability insurance, and yearly maintenance of my licensures. If this goes up, I am going to really be struggling financially.

Why the hell couldn't Democrats just have pushed for single payer health care instead of this Heritage Foundation health insurance!

[Kali]

1. you could try calling your case worker

(yeah I know how that goes) it is possible the co-pays might go away too, you know. I have no idea what I am talking about here as I haven't looked into it, but from what I understand the ACA does eliminate some of that stuff and despite our state's backwardness in a lot of ways, the AHCCCS program was pretty comprehensive and at one time viewed as an exemplary model for implementing medicaid type care.

[grantcart]

2. Pushing for single payer would not have passed the Senate where we had 58 Senators and

some were soft on the issue, and more importantly would not have gotten the crucial 5th vote on the Supreme Court.

Even the 'moderate' Kennedy found the ACA unconstitutional.

It is still something of a mystery how we got Roberts to vote for it but perhaps it was the compassionate side of his Catholicism.

In any case the Supreme Court found that the mandatory expansion of Medicaid to be unconstitutional and each state has its own right to act in a truly stupid matter.

If the court could not find mandatory increases of Medicaid constitutional they certainly would not have found single payer constitutional.

We will have to do it the same way Canada did, state by state (or in Canada's case provinces first).

Good luck on your personal health challenges.