Phoenix health brief: cooling centers expand, VA upgrades begin, AHCCCS system change, and measles remains active nationally
Phoenix, AZ – March 2, 2026 – Phoenix expands cooling centers for early heat; AHCCCS data upgrade goes live; VA starts facility renovations.
Heat response plan expands cooling options
Phoenix leaders approved the city’s 2026 Heat Response Plan in late February as unusually warm temperatures arrived early in the Valley. The plan expands access to cooling locations during peak heat season, including extended hours at some library sites and a 24/7 cooling center downtown.
City and partner agencies also outlined additional outreach aimed at residents who are at higher risk during extreme heat, including people experiencing homelessness and those living in senior and mobile-home communities. Local officials continue to track heat illness and deaths across Maricopa County; AZFamily reported 425 heat-related deaths countywide last year.
Hospital and clinic operations: VA facility upgrades underway
The Phoenix VA Health Care System announced Feb. 26 that it has begun a series of infrastructure projects intended to support safe, effective patient care. The VA said first-quarter fiscal year 2026 work includes renovating and expanding laboratory space, modernizing the operating suite, renovating pharmacy space, upgrading HVAC units in multiple buildings, and renovating an infusion clinic.
For Phoenix-area veterans who use VA services, the work signals continued construction activity on campus as modernization projects move forward.
Health insurance and billing: AHCCCS prepares a system change
Arizona’s Medicaid agency, AHCCCS, posted a Feb. 25 update on its Medicaid Enterprise System modernization. The agency said a new Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) translator is scheduled to go live March 1, 2026, describing it as a behind-the-scenes upgrade designed to make data exchange with health plans and clearinghouses faster and more efficient.
These technical changes typically sit behind member-facing services, but they can influence how eligibility and claims information moves among insurers, clinics, and hospitals.
Outbreak watch: CDC reports continued measles activity
In an update dated Feb. 27, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 1,136 confirmed measles cases in the U.S. in 2026 as of Feb. 26. The CDC list of jurisdictions reporting cases this year includes Arizona, and the agency noted that most cases have been linked to outbreaks.
Local health departments continue to publish guidance for residents and for healthcare facilities on preventing spread when cases are identified.
Sources
https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/heat-news/city-of-phoenix-unveils-robust-2026-heat-response-plan.html
https://www.azfamily.com/2026/02/26/phoenix-expands-cooling-center-hours-2026-heat-response-plan/
https://www.va.gov/phoenix-health-care/news-releases/phoenix-va-upgrades-health-care-infrastructure/
https://www.azahcccs.gov/shared/News/GeneralNews/MES_Modernization_Update2.html
https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html
If you have urgent symptoms, seek medical care. For general questions, talk with a licensed clinician.
