By Matthew Holloway |

The Arizona Senate Health & Human Services Committee will hold another oversight hearing on the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) on Thursday, Jan. 29. Committee Chair Sen. Carine Werner (R-LD4) is seeking answers over ongoing access and provider network issues.

Werner said ongoing oversight efforts, including hearings, document requests, and sworn testimony, have revealed continued failures within AHCCCS that are disrupting Arizona’s provider network and limiting patient access to care.

According to Werner, providers remain locked out of the system, services continue to be restricted, and families seeking care are facing delays.

“This is no longer just a policy failure. It’s a public health and safety crisis,” Werner said. “Decisions made inside AHCCCS dismantled parts of our provider network and robbed Arizonans of the care they desperately need.”

Werner explained in the release that AHCCCS leadership, appearing before the committee, has failed to provide clear and complete answers regarding enforcement decisions, provider terminations, and internal actions taken after the discovery of billions of dollars in Medicaid fraud.

The Senator has introduced multiple bills during the current legislative session aimed at strengthening oversight, enforcing accountability, and ensuring AHCCCS and the Arizona Department of Health Services fulfill their responsibility to protect patients, providers, and taxpayers.

Werner also referenced the recent appointment of Ginny Rountree as AHCCCS director, saying leadership changes alone may not resolve issues identified during the investigation.

“The committee remains cautiously optimistic that newly appointed Director Ginny Rountree can begin stabilizing the agency, but the oversight record makes clear that leadership changes alone will not resolve the systemic breakdown exposed through the investigation,” Werner said.

Werner said the committee will continue its oversight efforts until access to care is restored and accountability measures are implemented within Arizona’s Medicaid system.

Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.