SB 1730 Summary

• Establishes a behavioral health care provider loan repayment program allowing the Department of Health Services to pay off educational loans for providers and nurses (including psychiatrists, psychologists, and behavioral health technicians) working in state hospitals and behavioral health facilities, with maximum repayment of $50,000 for first two years of service and $25,000 annually thereafter.

• Creates the Arizona Health Innovation Trust Fund as a permanent endowment with 4% annual distributions to qualified charitable organizations providing entrepreneurial education, mentoring, and workforce development in health innovation and health care delivery sectors.

• Establishes a three-year competitive grant program administered by the Department of Administration to provide interoperability software technology solutions enabling rural hospitals, health care providers, and urban trauma centers to improve patient care coordination and reduce transportation costs, with grants awarded by December 31, 2022 and program repealing June 30, 2026.

• Modifies AHCCCS definitions and covered services to expand postpartum women coverage to one year postpartum and adds medically necessary chiropractic services as a covered benefit subject to federal approval and specific conditions.

• Sets county contributions for Arizona Long-Term Care System and acute care provisions for fiscal year 2022-2023; appropriates $50 million for accelerated nursing programs at universities and community colleges; and makes various amendments to prior healthcare laws regarding disproportionate share hospital payments.