State of Arizona, Appellee v. Chalice Renee Zeitner, Appellant.

Summary

The Arizona Supreme Court held that the AHCCCS statutory scheme creates an exception to, and implicitly abrogates, the physician-patient privilege in suspected AHCCCS fraud matters. The exception applies both to AHCCCS's internal investigations and to the Attorney General's criminal investigations and prosecutions, including the use of medical records and physician testimony. The court therefore affirmed the court of appeals and Zeitner's convictions and sentences.