New Lawmaker Profile: Rep. Matt Heinz, D-Tucson

NOTE: This is one of a series of biographical sketches Cronkite News Service is producing about new members of the Arizona State Legislature. Each follows this format and includes a mugshot.

_ Name: Matt Heinz
_ Chamber: House of Representatives
_ Party: Democrat
_ Profession: Hospital Physician
_ Hometown: Tucson
_ Legislative District: No. 29, which includes southern portions of Tucson, South Tucson and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
_ Committee Assignments: Appropriations; Public Employees, Retirement and Entitlement Reform.
_ Previous or Current Elected Offices: None.
_ Highlights of Community Involvement: Executive Committee Member, Healthy Arizona Initiative; Former Executive Board Member, Rebuilding Together Tucson; Member, Arizona Medical Association and Pima County Medical Society. Three seasons with the Arizona Repertory Singers.
_ Why He Ran: “It would be helpful to have someone with intimate knowledge of health care to be in a position to make changes.”
_ His Focus: “In the trenches you get to see how the inadequacies of the health care system are affecting people. We need a good system, a system that works for Arizonans and Americans.”
_ A Bill: HB 2557 would establish the Uniform Health Insurance Claim Form Committee, which would have people involved in health care work toward creating a uniform document to simplify the health insurance claims process.

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Reporting by Daniel Newhauser, Cronkite News Service

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Rep. Matt Heinz, D-Tucson