To apply for AHCCCS, Arizona’s Medicaid program, submit an application online through Health-e-Arizona Plus or mail a paper FAA-0001A form to the Department of Economic Security. DES handles eligibility and AHCCCS administers the coverage. Most applicants get a decision within 45 days.
Check Whether You Qualify First
AHCCCS eligibility is based on household size, income, and the category you fall into. Arizona uses Modified Adjusted Gross Income for most applicants, and there is no asset or resource test for standard coverage. Only the Arizona Long Term Care System and SSI-related programs impose asset limits.
The current income ceilings, expressed as a percentage of the Federal Poverty Level and effective February 2026, are:
- Children under age 1: 147% FPL
- Children ages 1 through 5: 141% FPL
- Children ages 6 through 18: 133% FPL
- KidsCare (children under 19): 225% FPL, with a monthly premium, available only to children who don’t qualify for standard AHCCCS
- Parents and caretaker relatives: 106% FPL
- Other adults ages 19 through 64: 133% FPL
- Pregnant women: 156% FPL
For a single person in 2025, 133% of the Federal Poverty Level is roughly $20,815 per year. For a family of four, about $42,760. Separate categories cover people who are 65 or older, blind, or disabled, people who qualify for Supplemental Security Income, and Medicare beneficiaries who need help with cost-sharing. Those groups have their own income thresholds and sometimes resource limits.1AHCCCS. FPL and Income Eligibility Chart
You must be an Arizona resident, and most applicants must be a U.S. citizen or have qualifying immigration status. Federal rules require the state to verify citizenship or lawful presence for anyone seeking Medicaid.2eCFR. 42 CFR 435.406 – Citizenship and Noncitizen Eligibility
Documents to Gather Before You Start
Having your paperwork ready keeps DES from pausing the case to ask for more. You may need:
- Social Security numbers for everyone applying, or proof that an SSN has been applied for
- Birth certificates for each person on the application
- Proof of U.S. citizenship for all applicants, such as a passport, birth certificate, or Certificate of Naturalization
- Alien registration cards for any non-citizen household member seeking benefits
- Proof of Arizona residency: a signed statement from a non-relative who does not live with you, confirming your address and listing everyone in your household, including that person’s signature, the date, and their own address and phone number
- Proof of all household income from last month and this month, from any source — pay stubs, benefit award letters, self-employment records, and so on
- Proof of ended employment and the last date you were paid, if applicable
- Verification of any other health insurance anyone in the household already has
The residency step is the one that surprises people. Arizona does not accept a utility bill or lease on its own; it asks for a third-party statement from someone who can vouch for your address.3Arizona Department of Economic Security. How to Apply for Medical Assistance
Applying Online Through Health-e-Arizona Plus
The fastest route is healthearizonaplus.gov. The portal handles medical, nutrition, and cash assistance applications in one place.4Arizona Department of Economic Security. Medical Assistance (Medicaid Through AHCCCS) Create an account with your name, date of birth, and a username and password. Once logged in, the system walks you through personal information, household members, income, and other coverage, section by section.
List every person in your household, starting with yourself. For each person, enter their Social Security number, date of birth, citizenship status, and relationship to you. The income section asks about every source of money coming in — wages, self-employment, Social Security, unemployment, child support, anything else. Enter current monthly amounts. If the numbers don’t line up with federal data sources during verification, the system will flag it.
How the state counts your household affects whether your income falls under the limit. Under federal MAGI rules, if you file taxes, your household includes you, your spouse if filing jointly, and anyone you claim as a dependent. If you don’t file, the household is generally you, your spouse if living together, and your children under 19 who live with you. If your situation is complicated, list everyone accurately and let DES sort out which rules apply.
When you submit, the portal gives you an immediate confirmation with a timestamp. Save that confirmation number. It establishes your application date, which controls when your coverage begins.
Applying on Paper
For standard AHCCCS medical assistance, the paper form is the FAA-0001A, “Application for Benefits.” Download it from the DES website or call 1-855-432-7587 to have one mailed to you.5AHCCCS. How to Apply for Medical Assistance A Spanish version is available as FAA-0001A-S.
Different forms apply in a few situations. If you are 65 or older, blind or disabled, a working individual with a disability, or only seeking help with Medicare costs, use the DE-103. If you need long-term care services such as nursing facility placement or home health care, use the DE-101, which goes to the ALTCS program rather than through the standard AHCCCS application process.5AHCCCS. How to Apply for Medical Assistance
Fill out the form in black ink, print clearly, and write “N/A” in sections that don’t apply rather than leaving blanks. Sign and date it. An unsigned application will come back to you.
You can send the completed form three ways:
- Mail: Arizona Department of Economic Security, PO Box 19009, Phoenix, AZ 85005-9009
- Fax: (602) 257-7031 from area codes 602, 480, and 623, or toll-free (844) 680-9840 from any other area code
- In person: any DES Family Assistance Administration office
Your application date is the day DES receives the form.6Arizona Department of Economic Security. FAA Mailing Address and Fax Number If you drop off a paper application, ask the office to date-stamp your copy.
What Happens After You Submit
Federal law gives the state 45 days to decide most applications. If you’re applying on the basis of a disability, the deadline is 90 days.7eCFR. 42 CFR 435.912 – Timely Determination and Redetermination of Eligibility
During that window, DES may send a Request for Information if it needs more documentation. Common triggers are income that doesn’t match federal databases and missing proof of citizenship. Respond by the due date on the notice. Miss it and your eligibility can be stopped, which means reapplying.8AHCCCS. Eligibility Information
You’ll get a decision letter in the mail. If you have a Health-e-Arizona Plus account, you can check status online too.8AHCCCS. Eligibility Information
If you’re approved, coverage is generally retroactive to the first day of the month DES received the application. Apply March 15, get approved, and coverage starts March 1. Arizona does not offer the three-month retroactive coverage that many other states do, with two exceptions: pregnant women and children under 19 can receive up to three months of coverage before the application month if they would have qualified during that time.9AHCCCS. Retroactive Coverage (Also Called Prior Quarter Coverage)
If You’re Denied
A denial letter explains the reason and tells you how to request a hearing. You have 35 calendar days from the date the letter is sent to file an appeal.10AHCCCS. 1701 Eligibility Appeals
At the hearing you can represent yourself or bring a lawyer, family member, or friend. You can review your case file beforehand, bring witnesses, and cross-examine anyone testifying for the state.11Medicaid.gov. Understanding Medicaid Fair Hearings If you have an urgent medical need, request an expedited hearing, which must be resolved within seven working days.10AHCCCS. 1701 Eligibility Appeals If you win, the state must apply the decision back to the date of the incorrect action.
After You’re Approved
Report changes that could affect eligibility: a new job, a raise, a new household member, a move, or gaining other health coverage. You can do it through your Health-e-Arizona Plus account, by calling 1-855-432-7587, or at a DES office.12Health-e-Arizona Plus. Health-e-Arizona Plus Not reporting can mean losing coverage or owing the state money for benefits you weren’t entitled to.
DES also runs periodic renewals, usually every 12 months. A renewal notice arrives before your coverage period ends. Ignore it and your coverage will lapse even if you still qualify.