Who We Are
Arizona Healthcare Coverage is a Phoenix-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2014 to address the growing health insurance literacy gap in Arizona. We believe that every Arizonan deserves access to affordable, quality health coverage — and that navigating the enrollment process should never be a barrier to getting covered.
Closing Arizona’s Coverage Gap
Our mission is to eliminate barriers to health insurance enrollment for Arizona residents by providing free, expert, and culturally competent enrollment assistance across all available public and private coverage programs. We serve individuals and families regardless of income, immigration status, language, disability, or geographic location within our service area.
We accomplish this through one-on-one enrollment counseling, community education workshops, multilingual outreach campaigns, and partnerships with healthcare providers, social service agencies, and community organizations that share our vision of universal coverage access.
Guiding Principles
- Independence: We do not sell insurance products, accept carrier commissions, or favor any insurer. Our advice is always in the client’s best interest.
- Accessibility: All services are free. We provide bilingual counseling, ADA-accessible facilities, and accommodate clients through in-person, phone, and video appointments.
- Accuracy: Our counselors maintain active CMS certifications and complete annual training on program updates, policy changes, and enrollment procedures to ensure accurate, up-to-date guidance.
- Privacy: Client health and financial information is treated with the highest confidentiality standards. We comply fully with HIPAA, CCPA, and CMS data security requirements.
Lisa Naranjo-Begay, CHES
Executive Director & Founder
Lisa Naranjo-Begay founded Arizona Healthcare Coverage in 2014 after witnessing firsthand the devastating consequences of Arizona’s health coverage gap during her tenure as community health outreach coordinator for the Maricopa County Department of Public Health. Working in underserved neighborhoods across South Phoenix, Maryvale, and the West Valley, she encountered thousands of residents who qualified for subsidized health coverage but had no idea the programs existed or how to apply.
Prior to founding AZHCC, Lisa served as the lead enrollment specialist for the Cover Arizona Coalition during the initial ACA Marketplace rollout in 2013–2014, where she personally assisted over 800 individuals with Marketplace applications during the first Open Enrollment period. That experience revealed the critical need for year-round enrollment support that extended beyond the Marketplace to include AHCCCS, KidsCare, and Medicare — programs that many eligible Arizonans were completely unaware of.
Lisa holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of Arizona and a Master of Public Administration from Arizona State University. She is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, a CMS-certified Marketplace Application Counselor, and a trained AHCCCS Eligibility Navigator. She is bilingual in English and Spanish and has completed cultural competency training in Native American health traditions through the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona.
Our Certified Counselor Team
Michael Tran, MPH
Senior Enrollment Counselor
CMS-certified counselor specializing in ACA Marketplace enrollment and COBRA transition analysis. Former health policy analyst with the Arizona Department of Insurance. Fluent in English and Vietnamese.
Sandra Ochoa-Ramirez
AHCCCS & KidsCare Specialist
Dedicated AHCCCS and KidsCare enrollment specialist with expertise in Health-e-Arizona Plus navigation, income verification complexities, and mixed-status family eligibility. Bilingual counseling in English and Spanish.
Robert Kinlicheenie
Medicare & Tribal Health Liaison
SHIP-certified Medicare counselor and tribal health liaison coordinating with Indian Health Service (IHS) and tribal 638 programs. Assists Native American families with understanding how IHS benefits coordinate with Medicare, AHCCCS, and Marketplace coverage.
Priya Sundaram, MSW
Community Outreach Coordinator
Social worker and outreach specialist managing enrollment events, health fair programming, employer workshops, and community partnerships across Maricopa and Pima counties.
James Okafor
Data & Quality Assurance Manager
Manages enrollment data reporting, program outcome tracking, grant compliance documentation, and client satisfaction surveys. Ensures all counselor activities meet CMS Navigator program standards and federal reporting requirements.
Elena Vasquez
Intake Coordinator & Office Manager
First point of contact for all clients. Manages appointment scheduling, document intake, phone screening, and walk-in triage. Bilingual in English and Spanish with a warm, welcoming approach to every visitor.
Our History
Arizona Healthcare Coverage incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Phoenix, AZ. Initial team of three counselors assisted 410 individuals during the second ACA Open Enrollment period, operating from a donated office space in the Heard Building on Central Avenue.
Received first CMS Navigator grant, enabling expansion to five full-time counselors and the launch of bilingual community outreach programming across South Phoenix and Maryvale neighborhoods.
Expanded service area to include Pima County (Tucson metro) through a partnership with the Pima County Health Department. Enrolled 1,000th client in cumulative program history.
Pivoted to phone-based and virtual enrollment counseling during the COVID-19 pandemic. Assisted 2,400+ individuals with Special Enrollment Period applications triggered by pandemic-related job losses, the highest single-year enrollment volume in our history at that point.
Moved to current office at 3033 North Central Avenue, Suite 900. Launched dedicated Medicare counseling program in partnership with Arizona SHIP. Added tribal health liaison position to serve Native American communities accessing IHS, AHCCCS, and Marketplace coverage.
Surpassed 14,200 cumulative enrollments. Preparing for extended IRA-subsidized Open Enrollment with expanded evening and Saturday counseling hours. Actively seeking grant funding to open a satellite office in Tucson’s South Side neighborhood.