Ways to apply for AHCCCS (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System)
These are the channels Arizona names on its own Medicaid pages. Use whichever is easiest.
- Online
-
Apply online
healthearizonaplus.gov
- By mail
- The state accepts applications by mail.
- HealthCare.gov
- You can also apply at HealthCare.gov any time of year. If anyone in your household looks eligible for Medicaid, it sends your information to Arizona's agency.
- Decision time
- Federal rules give the state up to 45 days to decide, or 90 days if you apply based on a disability (42 CFR 435.912).
Read on the state's own pages, October 13, 2026.
Key facts at a glance
- Pregnant women eligible up to 161% FPL ($41,570 for a family of three in 2025).
- Children 0-5 eligible up to 152% FPL ($39,250 for a family of three).
- Expansion adults eligible up to 138% FPL ($35,630 for a family of three).
- Postpartum Medicaid extended to 12 months (effective 2022-04-01).
Arizona Medicaid, topic by topic
Eligibility
Income limits & who qualifies
AHCCCS (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System) covers pregnant women up to 161% of the federal poverty line ($41,570 annual income fo…
How to apply
How to apply step by step
Apply online at healthearizonaplus.gov.
Doula coverage
Doula coverage details
AHCCCS (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System) does not currently cover doula services through Medicaid; state advocacy for a State P…
Postpartum extension
12-month postpartum status
AHCCCS (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System) extended postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months, effective 2022-04-01.
Pregnant women
Pregnancy coverage in full
AHCCCS (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System) covers pregnancy-related care up to 161% of the federal poverty line (about $41,570 an…
Renewal
Annual renewal & unwinding
AHCCCS (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System) redetermines eligibility at least once every 12 months under 42 CFR 435.916. During th…
For Black families
Roughly 98,000 Black residents are enrolled in AHCCCS (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System), per the most recent CMS T-MSIS analytic file. The number understates true eligibility: every state has Black eligibles who aren't currently enrolled, usually because of the administrative-churn rates that rose sharply during the 2023 unwinding.
AHCCCS is the only statewide Medicaid program run entirely through managed care: every enrollee is assigned to a health plan rather than fee-for-service. The AHCCCS Complete Care contract awards went into effect October 2023.
For enrollment help: look for your state's Navigator program (federally funded under the ACA), a Federally Qualified Health Center in your county (every FQHC has certified application counselors on staff), or one of the named community organizations below. Our FQHC directory filters to this state at /clinics/az/.
More on Arizona from Black Health
FQHCs
Federally Qualified Health Centers in Arizona
Sliding-scale clinics that take Medicaid + help with applications.
Providers
Providers who accept Medicaid in Arizona
Filter our directory to Arizona by specialty.
Health data
Black Health outcomes in Arizona
Maternal mortality, life expectancy, uninsured rate by race.
Sickle cell
Medicaid gene-therapy coverage in Arizona
Does Arizona Medicaid cover Casgevy + Lyfgenia? SCDAA chapter, comprehensive centers.
Hospitals
Safety-net hospitals in Arizona
CMS ratings, Medicaid-accepting hospitals, and which facilities anchor care for Black patients.
Tool
Medicaid eligibility pre-check for Arizona
Household size and income, in about a minute. Direct link to Arizona’s apply portal.
WIC
WIC in Arizona
Adjunctive WIC eligibility for everyone on AHCCCS (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System), monthly food package + Cash-Value Benefit.
SNAP
SNAP (food stamps) in Arizona
Federal food assistance: FY 2025 max benefits, ABAWD rules, application URL for Arizona.
TANF
TANF cash assistance in Arizona
Arizona’s maximum monthly TANF cash benefit, time limits, and how to apply.
Data sources
- AHCCCS (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System) — state Medicaid portal.
- KFF State Health Facts, Medicaid income eligibility + expansion + enrollment tables (kff.org/statedata).
- National Health Law Program doula Medicaid project (healthlaw.org/doulamedicaidproject).
- March of Dimes Report Card, 12-month postpartum extension tracker (marchofdimes.org/report-card).
- CMS T-MSIS Analytic Files, Medicaid enrollment by race and ethnicity (medicaid.gov/dq-atlas).
- HHS Poverty Guidelines, 2025 Federal Register release.
Data refreshed:
If you have Medicaid, the coverage on this page is the route to use first: it costs you nothing and it is what these programs exist for. If you are not covered yet, there is still a free option. Our directory of free and charitable clinics lists centers by state. The option below is self-pay and is not billed to Medicaid. It is here for readers who are between coverage or who prefer to pay out of pocket:
Sesame Care
See a doctor online today.
Same-day video visits from $34
See a doctor today