Maricopa Special Health Care District Agrees to Adopt County Assistance Package

District accepts Maricopa Health Plan and financial assistance - June 8, 2005

An agreement reached today between the Maricopa Special Health Care District and the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors could be the final leg in the journey toward self-sufficiency for the district.

The agreement includes various financial components, including a ten-year, $15 million loan that will be interest-free for the first five years. Funds owed to the district for certain medical services provided will also be pre-paid under the agreement. Election costs for Proposition 414 will be waived by the county, while payment terms for a second election will be restructured.

The acute care plan, known as the Maricopa Health Plan, will be transferred from county oversight to the district effective October 1.

"We are appreciative of the county's efforts to bring this transition to closure, said MIHS Chief Executive Officer James Kennedy. Our focus is now on the future and how we can contribute the greatest health care value to the citizens of Maricopa County.

The special health care district was formed in November, 2003, when voters passed Proposition 414. The district formally took over the health care system in January, 2005.

Maricopa Integrated Health System is headquartered in the heart of Phoenix. The cornerstone of the system is Maricopa Medical Center (MMC), a major teaching hospital with a history dating back over 100 years. Best known for its critical care services, the hospital offers Level 1 trauma and intensive care for adults, babies and children. Two in-patient psychiatric care centers with nearly 200 beds provide services in behavioral medicine. The nation's second largest burn treatment facility, the Arizona Burn Center, located at the main hospital campus, treats over 800 patients per year with an unprecedented survival rate of 98%. Eleven family health care centers are located throughout the Valley, providing primary and specialty care ranging from well baby to HIV-AIDS patient services.

Last updated on December 3, 2008