STATE CAPITOL,
PHOENIX – Rep. Randall
Friese, D-Tucson (District 9), released this statement after a Maricopa County
Superior Court judge decided today that the assessment that hospitals pay to
fund the expansion of Medicaid is constitutional:
“Today’s decision
means that well over 250,000 Arizonans will continue to have access to quality,
affordable health care. As a physician, I’ve seen what can happen to people who
put off receiving prompt medical attention because they are concerned about its
cost. The medical issues they are dealing with often get worse.
“The people who were
able to qualify for Medicaid after the program’s expansion will not face an
interruption in their care. This could help avoid costly and complicated medical
procedures in the future.
“The Republicans in
the Legislature who filed this lawsuit should accept this as a final decision
and should forgo wasting state money on frivolous appeals.”
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