appropriation; behavioral health provider rates

SB 1451 allocates $60 million in the 2026-2027 fiscal year to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates by 10% for inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services provided to low-income Arizonans. This directly benefits behavioral health providers (like clinics and therapists) who serve Medicaid patients by ensuring they receive higher payments for their services. The bill requires that health plans pass the full rate increase to providers and prohibits them from offsetting it using existing higher rates. Funds can only be used for these specific behavioral health provider rate increases and cannot be redirected to administrative costs or other programs.