Arizona Center for Disability Law

Ball v. Biedess - On August 13, 2004, Judge Earl H. Carroll issued a decision finding that the State AHCCCS program has failed to assure that recipients of Home and Community Based Services receive their prescribed services.  The Judge ordered AHCCCS to make extensive reforms to assure that it “provide[s] each individual who qualifies for its services with those services for which the individual qualifies without gaps in service.”

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Tucson on January 2000, and was certified as a statewide class action.  Center attorneys claimed that under federal Medicaid Law and the Americans with Disabilities Act, the AHCCCS administration is required to make available home personal attendant services available in a scope and amount necessary to allow the named plaintiffs and the class of persons with disabilities that they represent, to live in the community.   

On May 24, 2005, United States District Court Judge Earl H. Carroll issued an order setting out the terms by which Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) must comply to remedy gaps in critical services for disabled individuals who need personal care services in the home.  The proposed modified injunction enhanced the remedies originally ordered by the Court on August 13, 2004.  The modified injunction reduced the number of hours AHCCCS Program Contractors have to fill gaps in the delivery of critical services from four to two hours.  In addition, the order forces AHCCCS to comply with many of the remedies by August 15, 2005. On June 28, 2005, the Court entered a final order incorporating almost all of the provisions of the proposed order.

AHCCCS had requested a stay and appealed Judge Carroll's August 13, 2004 decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.  On May 17, 2005, the Ninth Circuit denied the stay request and oral argument on the appeal could come as early as October 2005.

 

1.      Interveners Amended Complaint (PDF only)

2.      Memorandum In Support Of Motion To Certify A Class Action (PDF only)

3.      Memorandum Of Points And Authorities In Support Of Plaintiffs' Motion For Summary Judgment (PDF only)

4.      Plaintiffs' Statement Of Facts In Support Of Motion For Summary Judgment (PDF only)

5.      Plaintiffs’ Trial Brief (PDF only)

6.      Findings Of Fact; Conclusions Of Law; And Order (PDF only)

7.      Final Order

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