the Arizona Department of Health and Human Services has awarded a $3.9 million grant to the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. This funding will enhance primary care and rural health training opportunities, focusing on underserved communities across the state.

Changes to Medicaid are expected under a second Trump administration and a potential target for spending cuts is the Medicaid expansion that was allowed through the federal Affordable Care Act, according to a Nov. 27 analysis by KFF, an independent health policy research and information organization. Dr. Derksen quoted.

Analyses by the Maternal Mortality Review committee have found that almost 90% of deaths associated with pregnancy in Arizona are preventable, and largely result from systemic issues such as a lack of access to perinatal care or social disparities, like unreliable housing or transportation. About 71 pregnant or postpartum women die in the state each year on average, with Black and Indigenous women overrepresented and rural deaths increasing.

Dr Derksen quoted in Arizona Central article on Republican efforts to target health care. Changes to Medicaid are expected when President-elect Donald Trump takes office with a Republican-controlled Congress, and a potential target for spending cuts is the Medicaid expansion that was allowed through the federal Affordable Care Act, according to a Nov. 27 analysis by KFF, an independent health policy research and information organization.

Future of ACA in question, Arizona is one of nine states with trigger laws to end Medicaid expansion, Dr. Derksen is quoted.

AzCHOW, which serves primarily border communities and is located in Douglas, received over $500,000 from the Office of Minority Health this year to boost preventative efforts among underserved communities. The funding will go toward screening more adults for colorectal cancer and providing food vouchers.

Bipartisan group of Senators introduced the Rural Hospital Flexibility Act, which would permanently reauthorize and modernize the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program. This program provides states with funding to support rural hospitals through training, technical support, and equipment for improving health care for patients, including emergency medical care.

Marc Verhougstraete, PhD, an associate professor of Environmental Health Sciences at the University of Arizona’s Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, is participating in the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Science & Technology Policy Fellowships this academic year.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced new baseline health and safety requirements for hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) providing obstetrical (OB) services to make pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care safer.

The health insurance contract between BlueCross BlueShield of Arizona and Phoenix Children’s Hospital has expired. Without a renewal agreement, in-network insurance coverage for patients insured by AZ Blue will end. Daniel Derksen, MD, is quoted.