The End of the Road for Arizona's 1864 Pregnancy Termination Ban

June 21, 2024

Arizona's Repeal of Archaic Pregnancy Termination Ban Comes Just in Time

ArMA and more than 20 other healthcare organizations vehemently advocated for a repeal of Arizona's 1864 pregnancy termination ban. After weeks of tirelessly advocacy and more than 50,000 letters sent to legislators, legislators passed HB2677 (abortion ban; repeal) and Governor Katie Hobbs signed it into law. Once signed, the bill stood to go into effect on Arizona's General Effective Date, which is 90 days after the Arizona State Legislature adjourns sine die.


After the passage and signing of HB2677 (abortion ban; repeal), the Arizona Supreme Court approved a delayed enforcement of the pre-statehood pregnancy termination ban. Following that decision, the enforcement date became September 27, 2024. Thus, the lingering question remained: When would the legislature adjourn sine die, thus determining when the repeal would go into effect? Would it be before the end of the delayed enforcement?


Now on the other side of the state legislature's official sine die on Saturday, June 15, we know that the General Effective Date will be Saturday, September 14, meaning the ban will be repealed before enforcement was scheduled to resume. The 15-week pregnancy termination ban remains the current law in Arizona.


Our historic success in securing a repeal of Arizona's pre-statehood ban is a testament to the power of organized medicine and wouldn't have been possible without members' support. Looking ahead, ArMA will remain at the forefront of discussions impacting our practice of medicine, patient care, and reproductive health.

Abrazo Arizona Heart Hospital Launches Largest Expansion in Its History

By Admin User • August 7, 2026
Abrazo Arizona Heart Hospital Launches Largest Expansion in Its History Investment Expands Inpatient and Procedural Capacity to Meet Rising Demand for Cardiovascular Care The Abrazo Arizona Heart Hospital in Phoenix announced last week that it is undertaking the largest expansion in its history. The new construction will add inpatient and procedural capacity to serve more Arizonans in need of heart and vascular care. Meeting Arizona's Growing Demand for Heart Care Abrazo explained that the expansion is necessary to support Arizona's continued population growth, which is driving increased demand for cardiovascular services. The added capacity will allow the hospital to not only treat more patients requiring cardiac, vascular, and critical care, but also continue its participation in clinical research and innovation.  Part of a Multi-Year Investment Strategy In its press release, Abrazo describes the expansion as the latest phase of ongoing, multi-year investments intended to advance care and meet the evolving healthcare needs of communities across the state. The hospital did not report an anticipated completion date for the project. Source: Abrazo Health

Arizona Erases $1 Billion in Medical Debt for Nearly 671,000 Residents

By Admin User • August 7, 2026
Hobbs Highlights Milestone in Ongoing Partnership With Undue Medical Debt Gov. Katie Hobbs announced this week that more than $1 billion in medical debt has been erased for nearly 671,000 Arizonans, marking a significant milestone in the state's ongoing partnership with the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt. How the Program Works The initiative, first launched in 2024, purchases qualifying medical debt from hospitals and collection agencies for a fraction of its value before eliminating the debt entirely for eligible patients. Who Qualifies According to the governor's office, recipients do not need to apply for the program. It is available to Arizona residents who: Receive low- and moderate-income Have medical debt that represents a substantial share of their annual income A Flashpoint in the 2026 Election Season Healthcare affordability has been at the forefront of Arizona's political conversation as the 2026 election season intensifies. Supporters argue that relieving burdensome medical debt can improve: Families' financial stability Creditworthiness Willingness to seek needed healthcare Critics of similar programs have generally questioned whether debt forgiveness addresses the underlying drivers of rising healthcare costs or simply treats the financial consequences after care has been delivered. As debates continue over healthcare affordability and access, Arizona's medical debt relief initiative is expected to remain a prominent example in broader discussions about how states can help patients facing significant medical expenses.