by Matthew Holloway | Apr 6, 2026 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
The Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) grew by two new members last week.
On Monday, Gov. Katie Hobbs appointed Michele Halyard, an oncologist specializing in breast cancer, and Steve Peru, formerly Coconino County’s manager.
“Dr. Michele Halyard is a leader in medical education who will provide expertise to the Board as the universities work to meet the state’s healthcare needs,” said Hobbs in an announcement. “Steve Peru is a longtime public servant with decades of experience who will bring his pragmatic leadership and focus on accountability to the Board. Our public university students deserve the best, and I’m confident Michele and Steve will help ensure the continued excellence of higher education in Arizona.”
Halyard’s past and present accomplishments included in Hobbs’ announcement referenced a fellowship with the American Society for Radiation Oncology, professorship of radiation oncology, vice deanship of the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, board membership with the Arizona Community Foundation, and membership with the Arizona Bioscience Roadmap Steering Committee.
One thing not mentioned in Hobbs’ announcement was Halyard’s career-long DEI goals on reforming health care with health equity.
Halyard has spent her 40 years in medicine advocating for affirmative action and health equity in medicine, according to Mayo Clinic profiles on the doctor published in 2023 and 2024.
Halyard expressed her belief in the existence of structural racism in medicine, and its disparate impacts on patient suffering and mortality.
“I didn’t see a lot of people of color at the clinic either working or as patients, and I really thought what a shame that was because of the preeminence of healthcare that we deliver,” said Halyard. “People who, perhaps, feel shut out from the healthcare system, people who experience structural racism that prevents them from getting in for the best care, that really results in excess death, excess suffering among populations of people.”
It was under Halyard that Mayo Clinic initiated “antiracism efforts” by using affirmative action in recruiting.
Halyard’s husband is Phoenix City Councilman Kevin Robinson, a Democrat and former Phoenix Police Department assistant chief.
Peru’s historic dedication to DEI initiatives wasn’t mentioned in Hobbs’ press release, either.
Shortly after joining Coconino County as their manager, Peru took on a years-long effort by the county to recruit an individual for a DEI directorship position.
In the weeks following Trump’s inauguration last year, Peru posted a comment agreeing with another colleague’s LinkedIn post advocating for DEI in K-12 in the wake of the new administration’s policies.
Prior to joining Coconino County, Peru was the chief development and government relations officer at Coconino County Community College and former CEO and president of United Way of Northern Arizona.
Last September Hobbs appointed Jimmy McCain, the youngest son of John McCain, to ABOR. McCain’s appointment stirred controversy, not only for his conflict with Arizona legislative leaders and President Donald Trump, but with his role at a company that was a key sponsor of Hobbs’ inaugural committee.
Hobbs has also appointed Lee Stein, former assistant U.S. attorney and special assistant attorney general within the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.
The governor’s two picks for student regents have backgrounds in gun control advocacy. Their contributions to ABOR include expanding time and resources for students’ mental health.
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by Matthew Holloway | Dec 10, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs is pressing House Republican leadership to move quickly on a sweeping market-based overhaul of federal health-care policy, as enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies approach their scheduled expiration at the end of 2025.
In a letter co-signed by House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris (R-MD) and Reps. Eric Burlison (R-MO), Clay Higgins (R-LA), and Eli Crane (R-AZ-02), Biggs wrote, “Republicans have solutions, and it’s time to implement them.”
The proposal outlined by Biggs is designed as a free-market alternative to Obamacare and reflects key elements of President Donald Trump’s healthcare agenda. Supporters argue the framework would shift federal policy away from government subsidies and toward consumer-driven healthcare.
“The time for half measures is over,” Biggs wrote to Speaker Johnson. “The American people deserve healthcare reform built on freedom, affordability, flexibility, and choice—not more subsidies, red tape, or handouts for insurance companies.”
Under the proposal, conservatives would allow the expanded ACA premium tax credits to expire, arguing the subsidies have inflated healthcare costs, expanded federal dependency, and funneled taxpayer dollars through insurance companies rather than directly to patients. As Breitbart News noted, the framework draws on nine Republican proposals, including those of Reps. Greg Steube (R-FL), Tim Walberg (R-MI), Kevin Hern (R-OK), Bob Onder (R-MO), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Gary Palmer (R-AL), and Chip Roy (R-TX), as well as Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), and Rep. Andy Biggs’s own Health Savings Accounts for All Act.
The framework emphasizes expanded Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), allowing individuals to use tax-advantaged dollars for insurance premiums, prescriptions, and other medical expenses. It also promotes interstate insurance competition and expanded access through Association Health Plans; reforms aimed at lowering costs through market competition.
Biggs and his fellow conservatives argue that Obamacare’s structure relies too heavily on mandates, subsidies, and centralized control, which they say have driven up premiums while limiting consumer choice, particularly for self-employed individuals and those in the gig economy.
The plan also includes provisions to codify restrictions on taxpayer funding for abortion and reinforce conscience protections for healthcare providers, aligning with longstanding conservative policy priorities.
For Arizona, the debate carries direct implications for large numbers of independent contractors, small-business owners, and self-employed workers who often face high ACA marketplace premiums and limited plan options. Expanded HSAs and portable insurance plans could offer greater flexibility for those groups.
“This is a clear blueprint,” Biggs added in his letter to Speaker Johnson, “Americans should be able to take cost-sharing reduction payments and underlying Obamacare subsidies straight into their pockets, giving them control instead of funneling money through insurers.”
At the same time, thousands of Arizonans currently rely on ACA subsidies to offset insurance costs. If Congress allows those enhanced credits to expire without a complete replacement, some households could see premiums rise sharply in the short term.
The framework is not a single bill, but a coordinated package of existing legislative proposals intended to serve as the backbone of a broader GOP healthcare overhaul. With subsidies set to sunset in 2025, and 2026 midterm elections looming, Republican lawmakers face growing pressure to either replace the current system or risk widespread premium increases ahead of the 2026 election cycle.
Fellow Arizona Congressman Eli Crane, who co-signed the letter, amplified the effort on X, writing, “Let’s get it done.”
Biggs concluded his call-to-action writing, “The House must act with clarity and conviction. These reforms should be brought to the floor without delay. If we plant our flag now, we can rebuild a healthcare system that reflects true conservative principles and puts power back where it belongs, in the hands of patients, not bureaucrats or insurance companies.”
Biggs’ push effectively forces the debate into the open. It will compel Congressional Republicans to publicly choose between pursuing a complete market-based reset of federal healthcare policy or seeking a more limited adjustment to the existing ACA structure.
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.
by Matthew Holloway | Dec 1, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Ak-Chin Indian Community has been selected as the only Arizona tribe chosen for the Indian Health Service’s Joint Venture Construction Program (JVCP) for Fiscal Year 2025, a federal partnership that will fund and staff a new comprehensive health center for the community.
The JVCP, launched in 1991 under the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, allows tribes to finance and construct healthcare facilities that meet IHS standards. In return, the Indian Health Service requests funding from Congress to staff, equip, and operate the facilities for 20 years under a no-cost lease agreement.
According to an announcement from Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ-02), the Ak-Chin Indian Community, located in northwestern Pinal County within Crane’s district, was selected through a competitive national application process. The Congressman celebrated the decision, calling it “a historic investment in rural healthcare” and noting that the partnership would “expand access to quality care and help close longstanding gaps in Arizona’s Second District.”
A letter from the IHS to Tribal leaders states that participants in the JVCP “acquire, construct, or renovate a health care facility” and that IHS will operate the completed facility for the duration of the lease period. The letter confirms Ak-Chin’s selection among the FY 2025 participants.
Over thirty facilities have been constructed under this program, including both health centers and hospitals, serving more than 25 tribes nationwide, according to the IHS.
Ak-Chin Indian Community Chairman Gabriel Lopez praised the federal decision, saying the partnership “will enable us to replace our current aged and inadequate health clinic to meet the needs of our growing population,” by enabling community members, including elders and those with chronic conditions, to access care closer to home.
Specific service offerings for the new facility will be defined as the project moves forward. Lopez added, “Going forward, this new health center with comprehensive services will ensure high-quality care is available right here and will make a real difference in the quality of life for the Ak-Chin people,” according to Native News Online.
Lopez also thanked Crane and Arizona’s congressional delegation for supporting the tribe’s successful application.
“This healthcare facility would not be possible without our Arizona delegation members, including Congressman Crane. We thank Congressman Crane for his support, which was essential in the success of our application and reflects his steadfast advocacy for the Ak-Chin Indian Community and each of the Tribes within his district,” Lopez said.
The Chairman met with U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in Scottsdale this week to announce the award for the Joint Venture Construction Program. Kennedy described the existing urgent care facility on Ak Chin tribal land as “essentially a double-wide trailer” in the video message.
In a post to X, HHS stated the funding will “build an approximately 60,000-square-foot health facility to expand access to primary, dental, and radiology care for the Ak-Chin community and neighboring tribes, improving access to care in rural Arizona.”
Thanking the Trump administration and Secretary Kennedy, Lopez said, “This is a tremendous honor, and it’s a tremendous surprise and a blessing for our community. Again, thank you to the Administration, thank you, Secretary.”
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.
by Matthew Holloway | Nov 1, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego sharply criticized Republican leaders over the Democrat-led federal government shutdown during an appearance on CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert this week. Gallego claimed that the impasse threatens health care affordability nationwide
The segment spotlighted the Democrat-instigated federal government shutdown and the looming expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, which could drive up premiums as open enrollment begins November 1st. The interview played out like an in-kind political ad for Gallego.
The subsidies, extended under the 2021 American Rescue Plan as a form of COVID relief, eliminated income caps for marketplace eligibility, allowing households above 400% of the federal poverty level to receive aid.
Host Stephen Colbert teed up the Democratic position for the softball interview: “Well, this shutdown has gone on for 29 days. If I can characterize the position the Democrats want the Republicans to address [as] the lapsing of the tax credits and ACA, the Obamacare, so people are going to see the rates jump up starting in November, right?”
Gallego detailed the stakes for his state. He noted that premiums could surge nearly 50% for a family of four earning up to $128,600 annually—or a family of five up to $150,600—potentially adding about $7,000 to yearly costs. He said, “And things are hard right now. I mean, everything is fricking expensive, and now the government, these Republicans, are going to willingly raise people’s premiums. That’s what’s happening right now.”
The senator, who has continued to cash his congressional paychecks during the shutdown, directed fire at GOP figures absent from negotiations. He accused House Speaker Mike Johnson of being “off hiding somewhere with the Epstein list” and quipped about former President Donald Trump, saying, “I don’t know where the hell Trump is. But I think he’s probably in Korea putting on a crown or something like that.”
Gallego stressed the fallout for ordinary Americans: “Either way, our people, everyday working-class people in this country are hurting right now.”
Just two weeks ago, Gallego claimed he needed to “restrain” himself in the presence of Speaker Johnson when he and Sen. Mark Kelly confronted the Speaker in a Capitol hallway.
Gallego’s account seems to ignore a point that Senate Majority Leader John Thune exposed explosively from the Senate floor Monday night when he said, “The senator from New Mexico is absolutely right; SNAP recipients shouldn’t go without food. People should be getting paid in this country, and we’ve tried to do that 13 times—and you voted no 13 times! This isn’t a political game; these are real people’s lives we are talking about, and you have all just figured out 29 days in that, oh, there may be some consequences?!?”
Instead, Gallego took the time to leverage his well-worn rags-to-Senate story—from a single-mother home to advocating for economic opportunity —continuing what appears to be a soft start to 2028 White House ambitions.
Arizona State Representative Nick Kupper (R-LD25) took to X to respond to Gallego’s post, sharing the interview. Gallego wrote, “The fact that someone like me ended up where I am is proof that this country can still be great. But that promise doesn’t survive on its own. We have to fight for it.”
Kupper, seemingly unimpressed, reposted him, quipping: “The fact that he’s on this late-night show slinging his crap is more proof that this is all just performance art.”
The full interview is available on YouTube and Paramount+.
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.
by Ethan Faverino | Sep 27, 2025 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed two bipartisan bills introduced by Congressman Abe Hamadeh (AZ-08) alongside Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13): the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship Opportunity Act and the Health Professionals Scholarship Program (HPSP) Improvement Act of 2025.
These landmark pieces of legislation aim to enhance veterans’ access to education and healthcare services, addressing critical needs within the veteran community.
Congressman Hamadeh, a former U.S. Army Reserve Intelligence Officer, said, “I believe that meeting the needs of our veterans should never be partisan and all government programs should be centered around what is best for the veteran. I am so grateful to Congresswoman Budzinski for sharing that commitment.”
The Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship Opportunity Act removes barriers for veterans pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and healthcare by eliminating the requirement that applicants use their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits before applying for the scholarship.
The bill lessens the waiting period, allowing veterans to apply with 45 months of benefits remaining, compared to the current 6-month requirement, making STEM education more accessible.
The Health Professionals Scholarship Program Improvement Act of 2025 addresses the staffing shortages in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) by mandating the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs provide HPSP participants with full-time employment contracts within 90 days of completing their training and obtaining licensure.
This amendment to Section 7616 of Title 38 strengthens the HPSP, ensuring healthcare professionals can serve the veterans who are in need.
“As too many taxpayers well know, the VA spends millions of our hard-earned taxpayer dollars training healthcare professionals through scholarships,” stated Congressman Hamadeh. “Yet these same qualified professionals are forced to wait months for employment contracts after graduation, all the while our veterans suffer. It’s government inefficiency at its worst, and our veterans seem to always be paying the price. Veterans are sent to emergency rooms while skilled doctors are waiting to serve patients. That is why I introduced this bipartisan legislation with my colleague Rep. Budzinski because we saw a problem that required action.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
