Stephanie Innes

3 weeks ago | azcentral.com | Stephanie Innes

A crisis involving phony rehabilitation clinics in Arizona cost taxpayers up to $2.5 billion, but it's not the only instance of fraud against the state's Medicaid program. The addiction recovery schemes are often referred to as Arizona's sober living crisis and involve multiple different instances where enrollees in the state's Medicaid program were not given the treatment they were looking for when they tried to get sober from alcohol and drug dependence.

3 weeks ago | azcentral.com | Stephanie Innes

Arizona's Medicaid agency (AHCCCS) was defrauded of up to $2.5 billion through various schemes, primarily targeting Indigenous people seeking addiction treatment. Over 100 individuals and companies have been indicted, with some receiving probation and others, like Diana Marie Moore and Ariel Olivia Dix, serving prison sentences. Critics demand accountability for AHCCCS employees who may have overlooked early signs of fraud, while lawsuits against the agency are underway.

4 weeks ago | azcentral.com | Stephanie Innes

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill that would have restricted SNAP recipients from purchasing soda with their benefits. The bill, supported by RFK Jr., aimed to improve health outcomes but faced opposition from various organizations. Hobbs argued the bill would unfairly limit SNAP recipients' purchasing power. Advocates of RFK Jr.'s Make America Healthy Again agenda have failed in an effort to prevent Arizonans from using food stamps to purchase soda. Arizona Gov.

4 weeks ago | azcentral.com | Stephanie Innes

Arizona has some unusual and strangely specific laws still on the books. While Arizona drivers might know about some of the weird rules regulating traffic, there are a lot of other goofy laws on the books. Did you know the Grand Canyon State has placed restrictions on when hotel staff may restock a minibar and whether certain arcade games are allowed to be rigged? We didn't either.

1 month ago | azcentral.com | Stephanie Innes

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs signed a bill banning 11 food additives from public schools. The bill, supported by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., aims to reduce children's exposure to ultra-processed foods. A second bill, seeking to restrict soda purchases with SNAP benefits, awaits the governor's signature. In a win for supporters of controversial Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F.