As a parent of eight children living in Arizona's border community near Colorado City (zip codes 86021 and 86022), I've experienced first-hand the challenges of accessing adequate healthcare. For over nine years, my children had established relationships with a trusted pediatrician in St. George, Utah, providing them the care and consistency every child deserves. However, due to restrictions from Arizona’s Medicaid program, AHCCCS, we've been forced to change providers multiple times, disrupting their care and putting their health at risk. Recently, after switching to a different provider in Hurricane, Utah, due to insurance constraints, we are now being told that AHCCCS won't cover these essential services out of state anymore. And we are not alone.

In our area, healthcare resources are incredibly limited. We have one family doctor and a few Nurse Practitioners, and Nurse Midwives who provide services at a local clinic, but no Pediatricians and no medical specialists who accept AHCCCS. These providers are doing the best they can, but it’s not enough to serve everyone in this area. The demand is so high, most of these providers aren’t able to accept new patients. This lack of accessible healthcare forces families like mine to either accept sub-par care or travel long distances across the state,  to access the right medical services. Page and Flagstaff are the closest cities in Arizona with more options for healthcare, and they are hundreds of miles of driving, crossing the Grand Canyon territory. 

We live in a medically underserved area and face unnecessary barriers to healthcare access simply because of state lines. St. George and Hurricane in Utah are our closest resources (30 to 45 minutes to most providers) for quality medical care, yet we are being denied coverage if we seek services there. This policy directly impacts the health and well-being of our community's children and families.

The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) has been contacted by the local hospitals in attempts to establish a contract, but after years of attempts, bills are still not getting paid. Our previous pediatrician  who was present in one of their meetings with AHCCCS was told  that Arizona residents needed to “just stay in Arizona.” This is an unrealistic and  senseless stance to take, when families are going without the care they need.

Other states like Missouri have bridged this gap, due to their large cities that lie on their borders, including Kansas and Illinois. Our smaller community lacks the influence of a large city, but there are thousands who are suffering from this issue, and it shouldn’t go unnoticed. 

We ask that AHCCCS expand its coverage policies to include out-of-state medical services in nearby areas like St. George and Hurricane for Arizona residents in these border communities. We need policies that reflect the reality of our geographical location and ensure access to essential healthcare services. We will be reaching out to our local representatives to ensure this issue doesn’t go unaddressed. 

Sign this petition to support better healthcare coverage for Arizona border communities and help ensure that no family has to choose between inadequate care and financial strain.