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AZ Gov. Ducey To Ask Federal Government To Approve Medicaid Changes

Charlie Leight/The Republic

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey plans to ask the federal government to approve major changes to the state's Medicaid insurance plan designed to encourage recipients to better utilize services and possibly cut state costs.

The plan to be formally announced Monday applies to able-bodied adults who don't provide care for small children, about a quarter of the state's 1.7 million Medicaid recipients. They would be charged co-pays for some services and required to pay 2 percent of their income into a health savings account.

That account could be tapped once the patient completes at least one "wellness incentive" and participates in a work search program if they're unemployed.

Ducey health policy adviser Christina Corieri tells The Associated Press the health savings account stays with the patient when they leave the program.

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