Senator Werner to Hold Third Oversight Hearing as State Medicaid Program Faces Ongoing Scrutiny
- Arizona Senate Republicans
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, November 6, 2025
Senator Werner to Hold Third Oversight Hearing as State Medicaid Program Faces Ongoing Scrutiny
PHOENIX, ARIZONA— Senator Carine Werner, Chair of the Senate Health & Human Services Committee, will convene the committee's third public oversight hearing on the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) Wednesday, November 12 at 1 p.m. in Senate Hearing Room 1. Members of the media and the public are encouraged to attend in person. A livestream link will also be available to watch the hearing remotely and will be posted next week at www.azleg.gov/liveproceedings.
This hearing follows continued concerns surrounding AHCCCS' handling of widespread Medicaid fraud, system loopholes that permitted large-scale fraudulent billing schemes, and on-going service disruptions leaving behavioral health providers and vulnerable patients struggling to access care.
Senator Werner has requested the attendance of newly appointed AHCCCS Director Ginny Rountree and members of the agency's executive leadership team to address the committee's outstanding questions and provide clarity on enforcement actions, provider reinstatement efforts, and the agency's long-term recovery plan. The committee has also requested the attendance of leadership from the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) to question the agency about their role in the licensing and regulation of behavioral health providers.
"Arizona families and providers deserve honesty, transparency, and meaningful corrective action," said Senator Werner. "We will not allow bureaucracy, lawsuits, or political pressure to interfere with accountability. The public deserves to know what happened, what is being done now, and how we ensure this never happens again."
Key findings from Senator Werner's ongoing investigation include:
Billions of dollars in fraudulent Medicaid billing losses
Tens of thousands of disenrolled patients struggling to receive care
Statewide disruptions in behavioral health service delivery
Reports of retaliation against providers who raised concerns
The committee will evaluate AHCCCS' compliance with document and data requests and determine whether additional legislative action is necessary to prevent further harm to Arizona families and taxpayers.
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For more information, contact:
Kim Quintero
Director of Communications | Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus