Bulletins and newsletters

• 08.01-2025 - Medicaid: Submission of medical documentation for surgery of hip and knee
• 07.03.2025 - Save the Date: Arizona Healthcare Workforce Summit - November 3-4, 2025. Presented by the Arizona Healthcare Workforce Action Network. Rio Salado College conference Center, Tempe, AZ 
• 06.26.2025 - Habilitative versus Rehabilitative Therapies Billing Guidance
• 06.17.2025 - Vaccines for Children renewal required
• 05.21.2025 - 2025 VFC Annual Re-Enrollment Is Here! The 2025 Medicaid annual re-enrollment period has begun. Primary Care Providers (PCPs) who are enrolled in the Arizona Vaccine for Childrens Program (VFC) must re-enroll with the VFC program annually. Re-enrollment is open from May – August 31st. If you fail to re-enroll, you may be inactivated from the VFC program for non-compliance and members 18 years of age and under will be removed from your panel. Please avoid any disruption to your practice by completing your re-enrollment today.
• 05.19.2025 - Important Update: DAP payments will now be included in Claims Payments
• 05.08.2025 - UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Arizona Selected to Continue Serving Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS) Elderly/Physical Disability (EPD) Members.
• 04.28.2025 - AHCCCS Update for H0033 Oral Medication Administration
• 04.28.2025 - AHCCCS is requesting Provider Feedback on UnitedHealthcare Managed Care Plans
• 04.28.2025 - Notice of closure of the District Medical Group (DMG) Multi-Specialty Interdisciplinary Clinic (MSIC)
• 04.11.2025 - AHCCCS APEP changes coming in April 2025
• 04.07.2025 - E-Prescribing
• 03.27.2025 - 2025 Arizona Healthcare Workforce Goals and Metrics Assessment (AHWGMA)
• 03.20.2025 - Join the Division of Developmental Disabilities Behavioral Health Administration Lunch and Learn event focusing on Autism Spectrum Disorder
• 03.13.2025 - Clozapine Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies Program Update Effective February 24, 2025
• 02.24.2025 - AHCCCS 2025 Coding Changes and Telehealth Updates
• 02.21.2025 - Providers are encouraged to check the AHCCCS Exclusion List regularly, and prior to hiring or contracting with staff and/or partnering with an individual or organization to provide services to AHCCCS members. AHCCCS will deny prior authorizations or claims submitted by a provider which include the use of an excluded entity or individual.
  The AHCCCS Exclusion List and information about exclusion can be found here
• 02.07.2025 - Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) Communication
• 02.05.2025 - Well-child visit recommendations & best practices
• 02.04.2025 - ACA Marketplace and Unauthorized Plan Switching

• 12.31.2024 - Covered Behavioral Health Services Guide
  The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) has published revisions to the AHCCCS Covered Behavioral Health Services Guide (CBHSG) and the AHCCCS Same Day Disallow Table on December 23, 2024, with an effective date of January 1, 2025. 
  
  Please refer to the footnotes included in the CBHSG and the Same Day Disallow Table, which indicate revisions to the previous version: https://azahcccs.gov/PlansProviders/MedicalCodingResources.html
  

  
  Additional Questions? Email CBHSGCodingQuestions@azahcccs.gov.  
  
  The guide has been published to the Medical Coding Resources web page (go to the Behavioral Health Services Matrix, Guide, and Same Day Disallow Table drop down menu).

• 12.17.2024 - Arizona Pet Project
• 12.10.2024 - Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C) is now a recognized Area of Expertise in the UHCCP provider directory. Individuals can search for providers who have completed focused education in perinatal mental health, as recognized by Postpartum Support International.
• 12.01.2024 - Medicaid: Understanding claims-based member assignments and capitated payments
• 09.18.2024- Revised AHCCCS Minimum Subcontract Provisions effective October 1, 2024
• 09.06.2024 - Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) has approved the use of Certified Doula Services effective October 1, 2024. Doula’s provide continuous physical, emotional, and information support to people before, during and shortly after childbirth. FAQ’s and additional details can be found at: Doula Providers (azahcccs.gov).
• 08.23.2024 - Impact of Medications on risk of heat-related illness
• 08.06.2024 - Important update from AHCCCS on VFC Vaccines Coding and Reimbursement
• 07.29.2024 - Effective August 1st, branded Humira will be moved to non-preferred status. AHCCCS has approved 3 different biosimilar manufacturers for preferred status:
  
• • Simlandi products (FDA approved for interchangeability with Humira)
  • Hadlima products (FDA has accepted their application for interchangeability with Humira)
  • Unbranded Adalimumab-ABDM products manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim (not currently FDA approved for interchangeability with Humira)
• 07.09.2024 - IMPORTANT: Covered Behavioral Health Services Guide (CBHSG) with an effective date of October 1, 2024
• This resource will be available to Providers by COB Friday, July 12, 2024.
• The CBHSG is not subject to public comment; however, AHCCCS will be collecting questions on the guide between July 15, 2024  and September 15, 2024. Questions will be used to inform a frequently asked questions (FAQ) document as well as develop training materials for providers and stakeholders. Please submit all questions via email to CBHSGCodingQuestions@azahcccs.gov.
• The guide has been published to the Medical Coding Resources page and can be found under the Behavioral Health Service Matrix and Guide drop down https://www.azahcccs.gov/PlansProviders/MedicalCodingResources.html.
• We encourage you to review this material and submit questions as outlined above.
• 06.05.2024 - AZ Medicaid NCQA HEDIS Advanced Illness and Frailty Exclusion
• 05.29.2024 - Updated AHCCCS Minimum Subcontract Provisions (MSP) Effective October 1, 2024 for all AHCCCS Registered Providers
  
• 04.26.2024 - Physician certification is required for member hospice care
  
• AHCCCS has always required a physician certification for member hospice care.  To ensure compliance, we are requiring physician certifications to be submitted with hospice claims starting June 1, 2024 for ACC members. Please be sure the certification meets the requirements of AMPM 310-J and lists the dates of service for each initial and subsequent recertification. For more information, please see AHCCCS FFS Provider Manual Ch. 23 and AHCCCS AMPM Policy 310-J.
  
  A physician must certify that the member is terminally ill. Hospice care is limited to those members who are in the final stages of a terminal illness (i.e., members who have a prognosis of death within six months). The initial physician certification is effective for 90 days. If the member continues to need services, the physician must recertify for a second 90-day period. Subsequent recertifications for 60-day periods are required if the member continues to require hospice services. Use the attached links for additional information.
  • https://www.azahcccs.gov/shared/Downloads/MedicalPolicyManual/300/310-J.pdf
  • https://www.azahcccs.gov/PlansProviders/Downloads/FFSProviderManual/FFS_Chap23Hospice.pdf
• 04.18.2024 - Important AHCCCS Medical Policy Manual 510 revisions
• 04.03.2024 - Clarification of appropriate use of Respite Services AMPM 310B and 1250-D
• 04.01.2024 - Medicaid: Continuous glucose monitors added to pharmacy benefit
• 03.27.2024 - Extencillin availability during Bicillin shortage
• 03.18.2024 - BeConnected is the designated AHCCCS state-sponsored resource provider for veterans; UHC providers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with their services to better assist veteran patients. 
• 11.29.2023 - ATD Integrated Talent Management Certificate Program - AHCCCS and the Association for Talent Development (ATD) have partnered to provide expert-led professional development programs for AHCCCS health care providers so they can more effectively recruit and develop staff and retain their workforces. Click here https://www.azahcccs.gov/AHCCCS/Initiatives/ARPA/HCBSCourses.html to register. 
  
• 11.06.2023 - Round 2 of the AHCCCS ARP Program Awards - Organizations that applied for Round 1 are encouraged to apply again for Round 2, whether their Round 1 application was awarded or denied.
• 11.01.2023 - Community Plan: Pharmacy policy updates effective Dec. 1
• 10.26.2023 - DDD Developing Conference for Behavioral Health Providers
• 10.23.2023 - Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) Request for Information Notification - DDD plans to gather information through a Request for Information (RFI) from current or potential providers to improve residential services for individuals with co-occurring intellectual and developmental disability and behavioral health needs. The RFI is expected to be posted on Oct 16, 2023. Current and potential providers must self register in the Arizona Procurement Portal (APP) to participate. Additional information and assistance with APP. Online tutorials, reference guides and FAQs available here: https://spo.az.gov/suppliers/app-support.

Click here to access the Monthly Network News Brief articles

Access the articles shared in the monthly network news brief emails. Arizona-specific information is identified along with the date the article was shared. Review this regularly to keep up to date on the Community Plan of Arizona updates and reminders.