Arizona Medicaid — AHCCCS (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System)
| Program name | AHCCCS (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System) |
|---|---|
| Provider portal | https://www.azahcccs.gov |
| FFS claims payer ID | No single canonical ID — routing is fiscal-intermediary-specific. Verify per clearinghouse. |
| Medicaid timely filing | 180 days from date of service |
The federal ceiling for Medicaid timely filing is 12 months under 42 CFR §447.45; most states set a shorter window. Always verify the current policy on the Arizona Medicaid provider portal before filing a late-billing appeal.
BCBS licensee in Arizona
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association licensee in Arizona is Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona. This licensee is not yet in the QuickIntell payer registry. See the full payer directory or the BCBSA national site for a provider-portal link.
Top commercial payers in Arizona
The dominant commercial insurers operating in Arizona, in approximate order of lives covered. Click through for per-payer claims payer IDs, timely filing windows, prior-authorization rules, and appeal procedures.
Medicaid MCOs in Arizona
AHCCCS (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System) contracts with the following managed-care organizations to administer Medicaid benefits in Arizona. MCO contracts dictate claims routing, prior-auth workflows, and appeal deadlines — route each claim by the member's MCO assignment, not the state FFS payer ID.
State-specific regulations affecting Arizona billing
- ARS §20-3101 to §20-3121 (AZ Surprise Out-of-Network Billing Dispute Resolution Act, 2019)
- ARS §20-3102 / §20-462 (prompt pay of clean claims — 30 days electronic)
- ARS §36-436.01 (hospital charity care / financial assistance)
Provider licensing & enrollment in Arizona
Providers enroll via AHCCCS Provider Enrollment Portal (APEP). Each AHCCCS MCO contracts separately.
Major health systems headquartered in Arizona
| Health system | Headquarters |
|---|---|
| Banner Health | Phoenix, AZ |
| HonorHealth | Scottsdale, AZ |
| Dignity Health Arizona (CommonSpirit) | Phoenix, AZ |
| Mayo Clinic Arizona | Phoenix, AZ |
| Abrazo Community Health Network (Tenet) | Phoenix, AZ |
Frequently asked questions — Arizona billing
What is the Arizona Medicaid program called?
Arizona's Medicaid program is known as AHCCCS (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System). Providers enroll and manage claims through the provider portal at https://www.azahcccs.gov.
What is the Arizona Medicaid timely filing limit?
AHCCCS (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System) requires initial claims to be filed within 180 days from the date of service. The federal ceiling is 12 months under 42 CFR §447.45; Arizona's 180-day window is set by the state provider manual. Late-billing exceptions may be allowed with good-cause documentation — verify on the state portal before filing an appeal.
Does Arizona Medicaid publish a single claims payer ID?
No single canonical claims payer ID is published for AHCCCS (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System). Claims route through the state's fiscal intermediary; look up the correct submitter ID in your clearinghouse directory (Availity, Change Healthcare/Optum, Waystar) and route managed-care claims by the member's MCO assignment.
Who are the largest commercial insurers in Arizona?
The dominant commercial payers in Arizona include UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Cigna, Humana, Health Net, along with the BCBS licensee Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona. Each payer's claims routing, timely filing, and prior-auth rules differ — see the per-payer guides linked above.
What Medicaid managed-care organizations operate in Arizona?
AHCCCS (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System) contracts with 5 Medicaid MCOs tracked in the QuickIntell registry, including Centene, Aetna Better Health, Molina Healthcare, UnitedHealthcare, Anthem (Elevance Health). MCO contracts determine claims routing and appeal deadlines — route each claim by the member's MCO assignment, not by the FFS payer ID.
What state-specific billing regulations apply in Arizona?
Arizona has 3 tracked state-level statutes that affect medical billing and RCM: ARS §20-3101 to §20-3121 (AZ Surprise Out-of-Network Billing Dispute Resolution Act, 2019); ARS §20-3102 / §20-462 (prompt pay of clean claims — 30 days electronic); ARS §36-436.01 (hospital charity care / financial assistance). These sit on top of federal protections such as the No Surprises Act, HIPAA, and 42 CFR §447.45.
Run cleaner claims in Arizona with QuickIntell
QuickRCM, QuickAuth, and QuickERA are tuned to AHCCCS (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System) and the commercial payers on this page — eligibility, prior auth, claim scrubbing, and ERA posting all run on real payer rules, not generic adapters.
Disclaimer
This page is operational reference for medical-billing professionals. It is not legal, clinical, or contractual advice. State Medicaid policies, MCO contracts, and payer rules change without notice — always verify against the current provider manual from Arizona Medicaid and the member ID card before submission.