Tim Agne/KJZZ

Carmen Heredia

As Gov. Katie Hobbs’ nominee to run the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, Carmen Heredia has a big job ahead of her. 

If confirmed as director of the state’s Medicaid agency, she will oversee health care for the state’s most vulnerable people, beginning with the initial challenge of the impending disenrollment of hundreds of thousands of people who receive health insurance and long-term care through AHCCCS. 

But that’s only the beginning of the challenges for the head of a state agency with an annual budget of $22 billion and 2.5 million Arizonans to serve. The Show spoke with Heredia about it. 

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