36-2902.02. Arizona advisory council on Indian health care; duties; appropriation request

A. The Arizona advisory council on Indian health care shall:

1. Hire and employ a director who shall hire and employ staff, subject to legislative appropriation, for purposes relating to the functions of the council. The staff shall provide technical assistance to tribal governments on tribal health care initiatives. The director, on behalf of the council, shall annually notify the director of the Arizona health care cost containment system administration of the amount of appropriation required by the council for the following fiscal year.

2. Assist tribes and urban Indian health organizations to develop comprehensive medical and public health care delivery and financing systems to meet the needs of American Indian tribes in this state. In performing this duty, the council shall:

(a) Recommend new title XIX and XXI programs, services, funding options, policies and demonstration projects to meet the needs of American Indian tribes and urban Indian health organizations, both on and off reservations, in cooperation with this state and the federal government.

(b) Facilitate communications, planning, advocacy and discussion among tribes and urban Indian health organizations in this state and with this state and federal agencies regarding operations, financing, policy and legislation relating to Indian medical and public health care.

(c) Recommend and advocate tribal, state and federal policy and legislation that support the design and implementation of medical and public health care delivery and financing systems for tribes and urban Indian health organizations in this state.

(d) Conduct and commission studies and research to further the purpose of the council and to address identified Indian health care disparities in this state.

(e) Conduct periodic public hearings to gather input and recommendations from tribal populations on their health care issues and concerns.

(f) Apply for and seek grants, contracts and funding to further the purpose of the council. The funding shall supplement and not diminish annual appropriations for the council.

(g) Notwithstanding section 36-2903.01, subsection B, in conjunction with the administration and a tribe that operates a temporary assistance for needy families program, request a federal waiver from the United States department of health and human services that allows tribal governments that perform eligibility determinations for temporary assistance for needy families programs to perform the medicaid eligibility determinations for persons who apply for services pursuant to section 36-2901, paragraph 6, subdivision (a). If the waiver is approved, the state shall provide the state matching monies for the administrative costs associated with the medicaid eligibility based on federal guidelines. As part of the waiver, the administration shall recoup from a tribal government all federal fiscal sanctions that result from inaccurate eligibility determinations.

(h) Perform other duties as requested by the legislature.

B. The director, on notification by the council, shall include the amount of the council's appropriation request in the agency's annual appropriations request.