Arizona Attorney General Announces Town Halls on Medical Claim Denials: What Physicians Need to Know

December 4, 2025

Arizona Medical Professionals & Patients Invited to Share Experiences With Insurance Company Practices

Click here to register for the second town hall in Glendale on December 15 at 5:30PM →

AG Mayes Seeks Input from Healthcare Community


Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced earlier this year that her office will host listening sessions for patients and healthcare providers affected by health insurance companies denying medical claims. The announcement comes amid growing concerns about insurance industry practices that may impact patient care and physician practices across the state.

"From the stories that Arizonans have shared with the public, we are concerned that some health insurance companies may be participating in potentially unlawful practices," Attorney General Mayes stated in the announcement.


Arizona Above National Average in Insurance Denial Rates


Recent data reveals concerning trends for Arizona healthcare providers and their patients. In 2023, health insurance companies denied an average of 19% of in-network claims filed nationally. However, Arizona's numbers paint a slightly more troubling picture, with the state experiencing an average in-network denial rate of 21%.


The Financial Impact on Arizona Families


The ripple effects of claim denials extend far beyond individual medical bills. Approximately 460,000 adults in Arizona – representing 8.2% of the adult population – report carrying medical debt, despite the majority having health insurance coverage.

Some families have faced bankruptcy following claim denials, while others have been forced to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in unexpected medical expenses. These financial pressures can strain the physician-patient relationship and impact treatment decisions.


Next Town Hall Scheduled for Later This Month


Healthcare professionals, patients, and families are invited to participate in the Attorney General's listening sessions. The first town hall is scheduled for:


📅 Date: December 15, 2025
🕛 Time: 5:30 PM
📍 Location: Pella Communities Church, Glendale

Members of the public can RSVP to attend HERE. Additional town hall dates and locations are expected to be announced soon.


Implications for Arizona Medical Practices


For Arizona physicians and healthcare providers, these town halls represent an opportunity to share firsthand experiences with insurance claim denials and their impact on patient care. Medical practices often face administrative burdens when appealing denied claims, diverting resources from patient care.


The Attorney General's investigation could potentially lead to enforcement actions against insurance companies found to be engaging in unlawful denial practices, which could benefit both patients and healthcare providers.


How Physicians Can Participate


Arizona medical professionals are encouraged to:


  • Attend town hall meetings to share experiences with insurance denials
  • Document patterns of inappropriate claim denials in their practices
  • Provide examples of how denials have affected patient care
  • Share information about administrative burdens created by the appeals process

The input gathered from these sessions could help shape future policy decisions and enforcement actions related to health insurance practices in Arizona.



Looking Ahead


The Arizona Medical Association has prioritized important commercial medical insurance reforms for more than a decade, and we are grateful to the Attorney General for joining us in spearheading the issue. We are optimistic that AG Mayes' initiative represents a significant step forward in addressing this major systemic issue affecting healthcare delivery across Arizona.


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Arizona is keeping healthcare human. New legislation will require that final determinations on medical claims be made by a human with medical expertise, not Artificial Intelligence.

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