University Students: Keep Your Ahcccs Coverage?

The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) is a program that helps people with low incomes pay for their medical expenses, including doctor visits, hospital stays, prescription drugs, and medical equipment. Eligibility for AHCCCS is based on income, with different thresholds depending on age and family situation. For those under 18, AHCCCS eligibility is determined by the total combined income of everyone in the household, while for adults, only their own income is considered. Students who are independent and over the age of 18 may still qualify for AHCCCS if their income is low enough, and they meet other requirements such as having a Social Security Number and being a U.S. citizen or meeting specific noncitizen requirements.

Qualifying for AHCCCS as an independent student

The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) is a program that helps people with low incomes pay for their visits to the doctor, hospital stays, prescription drugs, medical equipment, and other medical services.

To qualify for AHCCCS, you must meet certain basic requirements:

• Be under 65 years old (you can be older if you are a parent or caretaker of a child)
• Not be eligible for Medicare (unless you are a parent or caretaker, or are pregnant)
• Be a U.S. citizen or meet specific noncitizen requirements
• Have income below certain limits

If you are an independent student, your eligibility for AHCCCS will depend on your income, age, and whether you have a disability. Here are some key points to consider:

Age Requirements

If you are 18 or younger, you may qualify for AHCCCS if:

• You receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
• Your family has a low income, regardless of whether you have a disability.
• Your family has low income and qualifies for AHCCCS KidsCare.

Income Requirements

If you don't receive SSI, you can still qualify for AHCCCS based on your income. Your income must be below certain limits, which vary depending on your situation, such as whether you are single or married, whether you have children or are pregnant, and whether you have a disability.

As an independent student, your parents' income will not be counted towards these limits. However, all of your own income will be considered.

Disability

If you have a disability, you may have additional ways to qualify for AHCCCS. The Social Security Administration's (SSA) definition of disability is used to determine eligibility. AHCCCS for People with Disabilities has higher income limits and may be an option if your income is too high for the standard AHCCCS program.

Application Process

You can apply for AHCCCS online using Health-e-Arizona or HealthCare.gov, or in person at your local DES/Family Assistance Administration office. Even if you don't meet the basic requirements, it is worth applying as there may be other factors that can impact your eligibility.

Applying for AHCCCS

The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) helps people with low incomes cover the cost of visits to the doctor, hospital stays, prescription drugs, medical equipment, and other medical services.

To apply for AHCCCS, you must meet certain eligibility criteria. The requirements are different for young people under the age of 19 and those 19 or older.

If you are 18 or younger:

• You may qualify for AHCCCS if you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI). In this case, you will automatically qualify and will not need to fill out an additional application.
• If you don't receive SSI, you can still qualify if you are a U.S. citizen or meet specific noncitizen requirements, have a Social Security Number or have applied for one, and you and your family have a low income.
• If you don't get SSI and don't qualify for income-based AHCCCS, AHCCCS will check if you qualify for KidsCare based on your family's income. If your family's income is 205% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) or less ($63,960 per year or less for a family of four), you may qualify for KidsCare.
• If you are 17 or younger and in the Department of Economic Security’s (DES) Foster Care Program, you qualify for AHCCCS regardless of your income. If you are between 18 and 25 years old and were in DES Foster Care or Tribal Foster Care and on AHCCCS on your 18th birthday, you may also qualify regardless of your income.

If you are 19 or older:

• You can qualify for AHCCCS if you receive SSI or have a low income, regardless of whether you have a disability.
• If you receive SSI, you will automatically qualify and won't need to fill out an additional application.
• If you don't receive SSI, you can still qualify if you are a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen, have a Social Security Number or have applied for one, and your income is below the limit for your situation (this depends on factors such as marital status, whether you have children, etc.).

How to Apply

You can apply for AHCCCS in the following ways:

• Online using Health-e-Arizona, which allows you to apply for other programs like Nutrition Assistance or TANF Cash Assistance at the same time.
• Online using HealthCare.gov, where you can learn about your public and private coverage options.
• In person at your local DES/Family Assistance Administration office.
• By mailing or faxing a paper application to your local DES/Family Assistance Administration office.

No matter how you apply, remember that if you are not eligible for AHCCCS, you may still be able to get private insurance subsidized by the government.

AHCCCS eligibility for students under 19

The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) helps people with low incomes cover the costs of visits to the doctor, hospital stays, prescription drugs, medical equipment, and other medical services.

If you are under the age of 19, you may qualify for AHCCCS if you get Supplemental Security Income (SSI). If you get SSI, you will automatically qualify for AHCCCS and will not have to fill out an additional application.

If you don't get SSI, you can still qualify for AHCCCS if:

• You are a U.S. citizen or meet specific noncitizen requirements
• You have a Social Security Number or apply for one
• You and your family have a low income

The income limit for AHCCCS eligibility depends on your family situation. If you don't get SSI and don't qualify for income-based AHCCCS, AHCCCS will check to see if you qualify for KidsCare based on your family's income. If you are 18 or younger and your family's income is 205% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) or less ($63,960 per year or less for a family of four), you may qualify for KidsCare.

There is a monthly premium for KidsCare coverage, and the amount depends on your family's income.

If you are 17 or younger and in the Department of Economic Security's (DES) Foster Care Program, you qualify for AHCCCS no matter how much money you make. If you are between the ages of 18 and 25 and were in DES Foster Care or Tribal Foster Care and on AHCCCS on your 18th birthday, you may also qualify for AHCCCS regardless of your income.

AHCCCS eligibility for students 19 and older

The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) helps people with low incomes cover the costs of visits to the doctor, hospital stays, prescription drugs, medical equipment, and other medical services.

If you are 19 or older, there are two common ways to get AHCCCS. You can qualify if:

• You get Supplemental Security Income (SSI). If you get SSI, you will automatically qualify for AHCCCS and will not have to fill out an additional application.
• You have low income, regardless of whether or not you have a disability. If you don’t get SSI, you can still qualify for AHCCCS if:
• You are a U.S. citizen or meet specific noncitizen requirements.
• You have a Social Security Number or apply for one.
• Your income will be counted, but your parents’ income will not be counted. The exact income limit will depend on your situation, such as whether you are single or married, whether you have children or are pregnant, and whether you have a disability.

If you meet the Social Security Administration’s definition of disability, there are two ways in which you may be able to get AHCCCS even if your paycheck is higher than the AHCCCS income limit:

• When AHCCCS calculates your income, it will reduce the amount stated on your paycheck by the amount you spend on any Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) or Blind Work Expenses (BWEs). That means that if you pay for certain things that you need in order to do your job, such as medications or accommodations, you should tell AHCCCS about them, because it might help you qualify for AHCCCS health coverage.
• If you make more than the AHCCCS income limit even when IRWEs are taken into account, you may still qualify for AHCCCS Freedom to Work, which has higher income limits.

Full-time high school, college, or trade school students are exempt from the AHCCCS Works requirements.

AHCCCS Works requirements

The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) is a medical assistance program for Arizona residents who meet certain income and other requirements. Here are the requirements for AHCCCS Works:

Income Requirements

To qualify for AHCCCS, individuals must meet certain income requirements. For adults, the income limit is 138% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) or $43,056 per year for a family of four. For children who are 18 or younger, the income limit is 205% of FPG or $63,960 per year for a family of four.

Citizenship Requirements

To be eligible for AHCCCS, individuals must be U.S. citizens or meet specific noncitizen requirements. If an individual is legally in the United States but does not qualify for AHCCCS, they may still be eligible for subsidized private insurance through HealthCare.gov. Undocumented immigrants may qualify for AHCCCS coverage in emergency situations only.

Age Requirements

Most individuals must be under 65 years old to qualify for AHCCCS. However, there is an exception for those who are 65 or older and are the parent or caretaker of a child.

Medicare Requirements

Individuals who are eligible for or enrolled in Medicare typically do not qualify for AHCCCS. However, there are exceptions for those who are enrolled in Medicare and are either the parent or caretaker of a child or are pregnant.

Disability Requirements

AHCCCS also has specific requirements for individuals with disabilities. If an individual has a disability that meets the Social Security Administration's definition, they may qualify for AHCCCS even if their income is higher than the limit. Additionally, people with disabilities who work may qualify for AHCCCS Freedom to Work, which has higher income limits.

Frequently asked questions