SUN Bucks and AHCCCS in Arizona: How to Keep Kids Healthy During Summer Break
Summer can bring a lot of extra pressure for families: kids are home from school, grocery costs can go up, and back-to-school health needs can sneak up fast.
In Arizona, two programs can help eligible families stay healthy during the summer: SUN Bucks, also called Summer EBT, and Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), Arizona’s Medicaid program. SUN Bucks helps with groceries during the summer. AHCCCS helps with health care year-round. They are separate programs, but families can use both at the same time.
This article explains both programs, who qualifies, and how to use them together.
Nest Health cares for Arizona families at home and online through participating Medicaid health plans. If food access, transportation, child care, or summer schedules are making it harder to keep up with your family’s health care, Nest can help. Nest services may be available to your family at no additional cost through your Medicaid health plan. Call 866-222-NEST (6378) to check your eligibility.
What is Summer EBT in Arizona, also called SUN Bucks?
SUN Bucks is a Summer EBT grocery benefit program authorized by the USDA. Arizona is participating in the program in 2026, administered by the Arizona Department of Education. It gives families a one-time $120 grocery benefit per eligible school-age child to help buy food during the summer.
Families can use SUN Bucks at grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and other retailers that accept SNAP/EBT to buy foods like fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, breads, cereals, and other grocery items.
It is separate from SNAP and TANF. It can be used alongside other supports your family may already receive.
Who qualifies for SUN Bucks in Arizona in 2026?
Some children get SUN Bucks automatically. Others need to apply. Here's a guide to determine which applies to your family.
Step 1: Did your child attend a participating school?
Your child’s school may participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP). These are the federal programs behind free and reduced-price school meals.
If your child attended one of these schools for at least one day during the 2025–26 school year, continue to Step 2.
Step 2: Did your child also meet one of these conditions between July 1, 2025 and August 3, 2026?
If your child attended a participating school and any one of the following is true, they are automatically eligible. You should not need to apply, and the benefit should be issued automatically:
You submitted a school meal application and your child was approved for free or reduced-price meals
Your child received SNAP (food assistance), TANF (cash assistance), or FDPIR (Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations) benefits
Your child attended a Head Start program that participates in NSLP or SBP
Your child was enrolled in income-based AHCCCS (Arizona Medicaid), with household income at or below 185% of the federal poverty level
Your child was certified as homeless, an unaccompanied youth, enrolled in a Migrant Education Program, or in foster care.
If your child didn't attend a participating school
Your child may still qualify, but you will likely need to apply. To qualify in 2026, your child must meet both of the following:
Age: At least 6 years old by August 3, 2026, and younger than 16 before July 1, 2025.
And at least one of these, at any point between July 1, 2025 and August 3, 2026:
Receives SNAP (food assistance), TANF (cash assistance), or FDPIR (Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations) benefits
Is enrolled in a Head Start program that participates in NSLP or SBP
Is enrolled in income-based AHCCCS (Arizona Medicaid), with household income at or below 185% of the federal poverty level
Is in foster care
Is an unaccompanied youth or experiencing homelessness
Is enrolled in a Migrant Education Program
A few things that can trip families up
Having AHCCCS does not always mean your child is automatically eligible. It depends on your household income and whether it falls within the same limits used for free or reduced-price school meals.
If your child receives AHCCCS through SSI Cash, Adoption Subsidy, or Foster Care, that eligibility is not based on income, so it will not automatically qualify your child for SUN Bucks. You may still be approved in this case, so it is worth applying.
Having KidsCare (Arizona’s Children’s Health Insurance Program, or CHIP) does not guarantee eligibility either. KidsCare income limits are higher than the 185% federal poverty level threshold SUN Bucks uses, so enrollment in KidsCare does not automatically qualify your child.
If you are not sure whether your child qualifies, apply anyway. It’s often the fastest way to find out for certain rather than risk missing the benefit.
How are SUN Bucks Arizona 2026 benefits delivered?
SUN Bucks benefits are sent by mail or added to an existing eligible EBT case, depending on the family’s situation.
If you already have a SUN Bucks card from summer 2024 or 2025: In most cases, your 2026 benefit will be loaded onto that same card, the most recent card you received. No new card will be mailed — just watch for the funds to appear. Families should keep their SUN Bucks card each year because the card itself does not expire while unused benefits do.
In some cases, like if one of your children who received the SUN Bucks card for 2025 is no longer eligible but you have other eligible children in 2026, a new card will be mailed.
If your household currently receives SNAP or TANF: Your SUN Bucks benefit will be added to the Arizona EBT card you already use for those benefits. No separate card needed. You will also receive a SUN Bucks eligibility letter sent to the address on file with the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES).
If you're newly eligible (no prior SUN Bucks card, and not currently on SNAP or TANF), you'll get two things in the mail, sent separately:
An approval letter
A new SUN Bucks EBT card, preloaded with the benefit
The card can take several weeks to arrive, so the approval letter often shows up first. Save it — it has instructions for activating and using your card once it arrives. In 2026, letters come in envelopes with a PO Box address in the left corner, followed by the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) and SUN Bucks logos in black and white.
Remember to update your children's school with your current contact information and addresses to avoid cards being sent to the wrong address.
One card per household. In most cases, if you have more than one eligible child, you won't get a separate card for each — all the benefits are combined onto a single card. For example, two eligible children means $240 loaded onto one card ($120 per child).
Timing:
Families who qualify automatically can expect benefits to be issued in June 2026. If you haven't received your benefit by July 10, 2026, call the SUN Bucks hotline at 1-833-648-4406.
If you applied, you'll get a notice letting you know whether your child was approved after Arizona reviews your application. Once approved, benefits are typically issued within three weeks on a rolling basis.
What if my child was not automatically enrolled in SUN Bucks?
If your child was not automatically enrolled, you may still qualify and can apply for SUN Bucks.
Before applying, use Arizona’s SUN Bucks eligibility screener to see whether your child may already qualify automatically. This tells you whether your child actually needs to apply, and if so, it gives you the link to the household application. You can also call the SUN Bucks hotline at 1-833-648-4406 if you'd rather ask by phone.
To apply, you have two options:
Online (recommended): Apply through the Arizona SUN Bucks application portal. Applying online is usually the fastest option and can help avoid delays from missing information.
By mail:
All applications, whether online or by mail, must be received by August 3, 2026.
What happens next: After your application is reviewed, you'll get a notice in the mail letting you know whether your child was approved or denied. If approved, you'll receive a one-time benefit of $120 per eligible child, delivered as described above in section “How are SUN Bucks Arizona 2026 benefits delivered?”.
How to use your SUN Bucks card
Activate your card before use. Once your card arrives, call 1-888-997-9333 to set your PIN before you can use it.
Have three things ready:
The 16-digit number on your card,
The date of birth of the person named on the card, and
The 8-digit case number from the SUN Bucks approval letter.
Don't throw the SUN Bucks approval letter away — it's the only place that your case number appears.
Where you can use it. Your SUN Bucks card works like a debit card anywhere that accepts SNAP/EBT — grocery stores, corner stores, farmers markets, and some online retailers.
What you can buy. SUN Bucks follows the same rules as SNAP: most groceries are covered — such as fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, breads, cereals. You cannot use SUN Bucks for hot or prepared foods, pet foods, medicine, alcohol, tobacco, or non-food items.
Check your balance anytime. Use the ebtEDGE app, log in at ebtedge.com, or call 1-888-997-9333.
Use it before it expires. The benefit expires 122 days after it's loaded onto your card — after that, federal rules don't allow it to be restored. The card itself doesn't expire, so hold onto it; some households have their card reloaded again in future summers.
If your card is lost or stolen, call 1-888-997-9333 right away. Your first replacement card each year is free; after that, there's a $5 fee.
If you receive a card you don't believe you're eligible for, don't use it — destroy the card instead.
For questions about eligibility, benefit issuance, a missing child on your case, a change of address, appeals, or opting out, call the SUN Bucks hotline at 1-833-648-4406.
What does AHCCCS cover for kids in Arizona?
AHCCCS coverage for children continues year-round, including during summer break. School may pause, but your child’s health coverage does not stop just because it is summer.
AHCCCS coverage for kids is comprehensive. It includes:
Well-child checkups at every stage of growth, including immunizations
Doctor visits for illness, injury, and ongoing conditions
Dental care, including checkups and cleanings
Vision care, including eye exams
Hearing screenings
Behavioral and mental health services
Prescription medications
Labs and x-rays
Hospital and emergency care
Developmental and behavioral screenings, so any concerns are caught early
Transportation to the doctor
Since your child's coverage doesn't pause for summer, it's a great window to catch up on anything you didn't get to during the busy school year — such as:
A well-child visit
A back-to-school or sports physical
Vaccines your child needs for school
Medication refills
Dental, vision, or hearing follow-up
Behavioral health support before the school year starts
If you're not sure what's covered for your child specifically, or want help understanding your plan, contact your AHCCCS health plan or your child's primary care provider to walk you through it.
Children on AHCCCS can receive care from any AHCCCS-contracted provider — and for families covered through Health Choice Arizona, that includes Nest Health. Our team can see your child for well-child visits, sick visits, and more, right through the summer.
Want the fuller picture of how AHCCCS and KidsCare eligibility and coverage work in Arizona? Check out our Arizona Medicaid guide.
How to keep your child’s AHCCCS coverage active over summer
AHCCCS has to reconfirm your child’s eligibility every 12 months, so it is important for you to watch for renewal mail or online notices and respond promptly – even during summer. If you miss a renewal notice, your child can have coverage terminated unexpectedly even if your child is still eligible. If that happens, you can apply again, but your child may not have coverage while you wait for your application to be approved.
About 60 days before the end of the 12th month, AHCCCS reviews available information and may send an approval letter if eligibility can be confirmed electronically.
To help avoid a gap in coverage:
Make sure AHCCCS can actually reach you. Confirm your address, phone number, and email are current in your Health-e-Arizona Plus account, or update them by calling 1-855-432-7587. This matters even more if your family moved, changed phone numbers, or is away from your usual mailing address for part of the summer.
Don't rely on paper mail alone. You can sign up for text and email alerts through Health-e-Arizona Plus so renewal notices don't depend on someone checking a physical mailbox every day. This is one of the simplest ways to protect against a missed notice during a hectic season.
Open mail and digital alerts from AHCCCS, DES, and your health plan right away. Many renewals are processed automatically and need no action from you — but if AHCCCS does need more information, they'll only know to send it if your contact information is accurate, and you'll only catch it if you're checking your mail, email, or texts.
Respond before the deadline, not after. Review the deadline listed on your renewal packet or request for information. Make sure to respond before this date. Missing it can end coverage even for a child who still qualifies.
If your child's coverage unexpectedly stops because you were not able to respond to a renewal notice in time, you can typically still reapply, and free help is available through Community Legal Services and other assistance programs.
For the full step-by-step on renewing — including what documents to have ready and what to expect after you submit — see ourguide to renewing Medicaid in Arizona.
Why Summer Is a Good Time for Your Child's Annual Visit
Summer is a practical time to catch up on care before school starts again. When kids are out of school, there are no school absences to coordinate, no missed classes or activities to make up, and generally more flexibility in the day-to-day schedule.
And, a summer visit can help prevent last-minute stress before kids go back to school and need physicals, forms, medication plans, or vaccine records.
Immunizations are one of the best reasons not to wait. Arizona law requires students to have up-to-date immunizations to attend school, and requirements can be updated from year to year. Summer is a good time to ask your child’s provider what vaccines they may need before the first day of school.
Families who put off vaccines until the last week of summer often run into a scramble — appointments booked up, missing records to track down, or a child who isn't caught up in time for the first day of school. Scheduling earlier in the summer avoids that entirely.
AHCCCS covers immunizations at no cost to eligible families. There's no reason to delay a vaccine appointment over cost — if your child is covered, required and recommended immunizations are included.
If you want to learn more about what vaccines are typically required or recommended before the school year starts, ourback-to-school vaccines guide walks through it in more detail.
And you don't need to find time to get to a clinic. For eligible families inMaricopa County andMohave County, Nest Health can help make summer care easier by bringing care to your home or offering virtual visits when appropriate. That can be helpful when transportation, heat, work schedules, or caring for multiple children makes clinic visits hard.
Arizona behavioral and mental health services in summer
When school lets out, so does access to school counselors, school-based therapy, and other in-school behavioral health supports many kids rely on during the year.
The good news is: AHCCCS covers behavioral and mental health for kids year-round, not just during the school year. Covered services including individual and family therapy, psychiatric care, and medication management, along with crisis support when it's needed.
Summer can actually be a good time to start or continue this kind of care. Without the structure (and stress) of a school schedule, some families find it easier to get a child into therapy for the first time, keep up with an existing treatment plan, or get ahead of concerns before a new school year brings new pressures.
Ask for help if your child is:
More anxious, sad, angry, or withdrawn than usual
Having trouble sleeping
Struggling after a change at home or school
Running out of medication
Needing therapy or follow-up care
Families covered through Health Choice Arizona can access behavioral health services through Nest Health, including in-home visits — so getting started doesn't require finding childcare, transportation, or time off work just to get to an appointment.
If your child is in danger or may hurt themselves or someone else, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. For non-emergency behavioral health support, call your AHCCCS health plan or your child’s provider.
SUN Bucks and AHCCCS: Using Both Programs Together
SUN Bucks and AHCCCS address different needs, and families can use both programs at the same time. SUN Bucks helps pay for groceries during the summer. AHCCCS helps pay for health care year-round.
| SUN Bucks | AHCCCS (Arizona Medicaid) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A summer grocery benefit — $120 per eligible child loaded on an EBT card | Year-round health insurance for eligible children and families |
| What it covers | Food only — fruits, vegetables, dairy, bread, meat, at any SNAP/EBT retailer | Health care coverage, including doctor visits, immunizations, prescriptions, physical exams, behavioral health, and many child dental, vision, and hearing services |
| When it's available | Summer benefit; funds expire 122 days after they are made available on the card. | Year-round, as long as the child remains enrolled and eligible. |
| Who administers it | Arizona Department of Education, in partnership with the Department of Economic Security | Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) |
| Do you need to apply | Many eligible children receive it automatically. Others may need to apply by August 3, 2026. | Families must complete renewals every 12 months and respond to requests for information when needed. |
FAQs
Does my child qualify for SUN Bucks if they have AHCCCS?
Maybe. Most children on income-based AHCCCS qualify automatically if household income meets free or reduced-price school meal guidelines. If you are unsure, Arizona recommends applying.
I never received a SUN Bucks card. What should I do?
If your child was automatically eligible and you had not received the benefit by July 10, 2026, call the SUN Bucks hotline at 1-833-648-4406.
Can I use SUN Bucks at any grocery store in Arizona?
Yes. You can use SUN Bucks at any retailer that accepts SNAP/EBT, including major grocery chains and some farmers' markets.
What happens if I miss my AHCCCS renewal?
Your child’s coverage could stop if AHCCCS asks for information and you do not respond by the deadline — even if your child is still eligible. If that happens, you can apply again, but your child may not have coverage while you wait for your application to be approved.
Do SUN Bucks count as income and affect my AHCCCS eligibility?
No. SUN Bucks is a grocery benefit. It does not count as income and do not affect AHCCCS eligibility.
What if my child needs care and I am not sure if it is covered by AHCCCS?
Call your AHCCCS health plan to ask what is covered and which providers you can see. Health Choice Arizona families that may be eligible for Nest Health can also call Nest Health at 866-222-NEST (6378).
In-home and virtual care for Arizona families this summer
Nest Health provides in-home and virtual care for Health Choice Arizona families across Maricopa, Mohave, and Pinal counties. Available year-round, including summer — our care team can support children and families with in-home and virtual care, including well-child visits, back-to-school physicals, vaccines when available, behavioral health support, prescriptions and refills, and help connecting to food or utility resources.
For families already managing groceries through SUN Bucks and health coverage through AHCCCS, Nest can remove one more barrier: the need to travel to a clinic in Arizona heat.
Call 866-222-NEST (6378) to check whether your family is eligible for Nest Health. Services may be available at no additional cost through your Medicaid health plan.
