Mercy Maricopa Integrated Care was the managed care organization that coordinated behavioral and physical health services for AHCCCS members in Maricopa County, Arizona, from April 1, 2014 until Arizona restructured its Medicaid delivery system in October 2018.1AHCCCS. Mercy Maricopa Integrated Care 2015 Financial Audit That same role is now held by Mercy Care, which operates as the ACC-RBHA (AHCCCS Complete Care – Regional Behavioral Health Authority) for the Central Geographic Service Area covering Maricopa, Gila, and Pinal counties.2AHCCCS. Behavioral Health Contracts If you were an MMIC member, your coverage didn’t disappear; it moved to Mercy Care.
What MMIC Was and Why It Existed
Before MMIC launched in 2014, AHCCCS members in Maricopa County often had to deal with separate organizations for medical care and behavioral health. That meant one plan for a primary care visit, a different one for therapy or psychiatric medication, and no reliable way to make them talk to each other. MMIC was built to be the single point of coordination for both, with particular responsibility for members carrying a Serious Mental Illness designation.
It held the Regional Behavioral Health Authority contract for the county and ran its services through contracted provider networks and integrated clinics, handling authorizations, care coordination, and crisis response for hundreds of thousands of members.
What Replaced It in 2018
On October 1, 2018, AHCCCS launched AHCCCS Complete Care (ACC), a statewide restructuring that moved roughly 1.5 million members into managed care plans combining physical and behavioral health benefits.3AHCCCS. AHCCCS Complete Care – The Future of Integrated Healthcare The integration MMIC had been doing in one county became the model for the whole state, and the MMIC name went away as part of the change.
Mercy Care, one of the organizations originally behind MMIC, took the ACC-RBHA contract for the Central region.2AHCCCS. Behavioral Health Contracts On the ground, provider networks, integrated clinics, and care coordination kept running, and former MMIC members were transitioned into Mercy Care’s plan. The ACC-RBHA keeps responsibilities that go beyond a standard ACC plan, including crisis services, members with an SMI designation, and children in foster care.3AHCCCS. AHCCCS Complete Care – The Future of Integrated Healthcare
How to Get These Services in Maricopa County Now
If you’re already an AHCCCS member living in Maricopa County, your integrated care is managed by Mercy Care. The starting point is Mercy Care member services at 602-263-3000 or 1-800-624-3879, open Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.4Mercy Care. Contact Us They can confirm your enrollment, explain your benefits, and connect you with participating providers.
Many members receive care through integrated behavioral health homes, where a primary care doctor and a behavioral health team work under the same roof so the two sides of your care communicate. Once you’re connected to a clinic, your care team develops an Individual Service Plan laying out your goals, the services you’ll receive, target dates, and which providers are responsible for each piece.5Legal Information Institute. Arizona Code R9-21-307 – The Individual Service Plan The plan is built around your preferences and needs rather than whatever services happen to be available.
Covered behavioral health services under Mercy Care are broad. They include counseling, assessment, specialized testing, substance abuse treatment, mobile crisis teams, residential services with up to 24-hour support, day programs, living skills training, supported employment, case management, peer and family support, respite, housing assistance, transportation, and health promotion on things like medication management and relapse prevention.6AHCCCS. Covered Services Substance abuse treatment is available whether or not you have an SMI designation.
If you’re not yet enrolled in AHCCCS, that’s the prerequisite step, and the fastest route is the Health-e-Arizona Plus portal at healthearizonaplus.gov or the help line at 1-855-432-7587. If your application is still being processed and you need behavioral health help now, the Central Arizona RBHA line at 800-564-5465 can tell you what services are available through other funding sources while eligibility is being determined.7AHCCCS. Apply for AHCCCS Health Insurance/KidsCare
The SMI Designation and What It Adds
A Serious Mental Illness designation is a separate determination from basic AHCCCS enrollment, and it significantly widens the behavioral health services available to you.8AHCCCS. SMI Designation Members with an SMI designation receive care through the ACC-RBHA rather than a standard ACC plan, which means a wider network of specialized behavioral health providers, more intensive support, and dedicated care coordination.
To get the designation, a provider or the ACC-RBHA submits an assessment packet on your behalf. The evaluation looks at whether you have a qualifying mental health condition that substantially impairs your ability to function in daily life, under criteria set out in the Arizona Administrative Code. Having a provider who knows the system matters here, because the packet needs to document functional impairment clearly enough to support the determination. If you think you qualify, ask your behavioral health provider or contact Mercy Care directly about starting the process.
Crisis Help Right Now
For a behavioral health emergency, you do not need to be an AHCCCS member or have any insurance. Arizona’s crisis system is open to every resident. Call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.9AHCCCS. Crisis Hotlines Mobile crisis teams can also respond in person if you or someone near you is in distress. For non-emergency questions about enrollment, benefits, or finding a provider, current Mercy Care members should call 602-263-3000 or 1-800-624-3879 during business hours.4Mercy Care. Contact Us