Carbone Slams Hobbs for Vetoing Medicaid Reform Bill

State Representative Michael Carbone (R-25) slammed Governor Katie Hobbs's (D-AZ) veto of House Bill 2449, which would tighten Medicaid eligibility standards, in a recent press conference.

"What I would like to talk about is that Governor Hobbs had vetoed a bill that I proposed, B2449, aimed at rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in Arizona's Medicaid program," Rep. Carbone began, adding, "Reforms that would have protected healthcare resources for the most vulnerable folks, that is what this program is for, among us."

State Rep. Carbone claimed that 2018 saw over $3 billion in improper Medicaid payments, "much of this due to failures in verifying Medicaid eligibility."

"My bill would have closed these dangerous loopholes and required more frequent and accurate checks, bringing Arizona in line with the best practices used in states like Arkansas, Indiana, North Carolina, Texas, and Illinois," the eastern Buckeye Representative continued, "These states use the same eligibility tools without increasing cost to taxpayers."

Carbone questioned why these other states had better systems than Arizona, claiming over 20,000 millionaires are on Medicaid before quickly countering a claim by Gov. Hobbs that reform would require resources Arizona does not have by pointing out that 1,100 full-time staff already exist to meet demand.

"We are not talking about new bureaucracy, just using existing resources to do the job better," said Carbone. "This is about red tape. It is about fiscal responsibility and basic accountability. Arizona taxpayers deserve to know how their hard-earned money is going to be used, and those who truly qualify are not being squandered through neglect."

Moreover, the Buckeye Representative noted that it took Republicans to clean up the Medicaid recipient rolls of ineligible enrollees, and that HB2449 "would have built on that progress."

"Arizona voters sent a clear message in 2024 that they are tired of wasteful spending and government excuses," Carbone concluded. "While Governor Hobbs talks about reform, her veto shows something else. She is more interested in protecting the bureaucracy."