The measure would raise the tax on this population to 5.5 percent and would bring in around $147 million annually, according to the report. The funds would go towards covering the cost of caring for some 310,000 people who will be booted from the state’s Medicaid program on Jan. 1, due to new legislation.
Without the tax, Arizona hospitals stand to see more uninsured patients, as the state could lose federal matching dollars when the cuts go into effect, according to the report.
Read the Sun’s report on Arizona’s proposed tax hike.
