SB 1741: 2025-2026; health care - Arizona

Senate Engrossed Version → Chaptered Version · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill transitions from a Senate draft to a final Chaptered version, incorporating new provisions for a Nurse Anesthetist clinical rotation grant program and a report on mental health medication costs. It also updates the repeal timeline for certain health statutes and clarifies definitions regarding prosthetic devices and practitioner types. These changes expand funding opportunities for nursing education, increase transparency in mental health spending, and refine the scope of covered medical services.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include a new grant program for nursing student clinical rotations and a requirement for a mental health medication utilization report, while specific exclusions were added for the Board of Regents regarding the nurse education pilot program.

FISCAL

Established a new grant program for the Arizona State Board of Nursing to fund clinical rotation placements for registered nurse anesthetist students in fiscal year 2025-2026.

REQUIREMENT

Required the AHCCCS to submit a detailed report on mental health medication costs and utilization by January 31, 2026.

DEFINITION

Added 'speech therapy' and 'cochlear implants' to the list of excluded outpatient services for eligible persons aged 21 and older.

ELIGIBILITY

Excluded the Arizona Board of Regents from receiving distributions under the nurse education investment pilot program for fiscal year 2025-2026.

TIMELINE

Adjusted the repeal dates for several sections of Title 36, Arizona Revised Statutes, to December 31, 2026, and June 30, 2027.

House Engrossed Version → Senate Engrossed Version · 6 edits · Jun 27, 2025

MODERATE

This bill transitions from the House to Senate version with minor formatting and text adjustments. The substantive policy content remains largely unchanged, though some sections were renumbered during the Senate revision process. The bill covers health and medical services coverage, newborn screening updates, nursing education programs, and county expenditure limitations for various state programs.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains consistent between versions, though section numbering was adjusted during Senate review. No substantive changes to applicability or coverage were made.

TECHNICAL

Document header changed from 'House Engrossed' to 'Senate Engrossed' indicating the bill moved through legislative chambers.

Section numbering was reorganized during Senate review, with several sections renumbered (e.g., Proposition 204 moved from section 18 to 16, competency restoration moved from 19 to 17).

Minor text formatting changes including removal of redundant parentheses and slight rewording of some provisions without changing their meaning.

REQUIREMENT

Newborn screening program requirements were clarified to specify that conditions added to the recommended uniform screening panel must be included in the state panel within two years.

ELIGIBILITY

Speech therapy and cochlear implant coverage for eligible persons aged twenty-one and older were removed from the list of covered services.

DEFINITION

Punctuation and formatting adjustments were made to definitions sections, particularly around section headers and clause numbering.

Introduced Version → House Engrossed Version · 8 edits · Jun 27, 2025

MODERATE

This bill updates Arizona's health care statutes to expand newborn screening programs, modify coverage rules for the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), and adjust funding allocations for nursing education and long-term care. Key changes include adding Duchenne muscular dystrophy to newborn screening, adjusting fiscal year 2025-2026 county contributions for health care, and extending certain managed care contracts.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of newborn screening to include Duchenne muscular dystrophy and modifies AHCCCS coverage rules to exclude certain services like bariatric surgery and cochlear implants from hospital assessment fund payments while adding traditional healing services coverage.

REQUIREMENT

Added Duchenne muscular dystrophy to the state's newborn screening panel requirements

Removed coverage of bariatric surgery procedures from AHCCCS covered health and medical services

Added coverage for traditional healing services for members qualifying through Indian Health Service or tribal facilities

FISCAL

Modified county contribution amounts for AHCCCS and long-term care system for fiscal year 2025-2026

Added one-time $3 million grant for constructing outpatient dialysis treatment center on tribal land

ELIGIBILITY

Modified eligibility criteria for members in AHCCCS to increase income threshold from 200% to 225% of federal poverty level starting October 1, 2023

TIMELINE

Modified delayed repeal dates for various sections from 2026-2027 to 2027-2028

DEFINITION

Modified definitions of 'Member' in AHCCCS to reflect updated income thresholds and eligibility criteria

2025-2026; health care

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