Bredesen calls out advocates, urging ‘don’t kill TennCare’
NASHVILLE — Gov. Phil Bredesen sent a stern message to advocates for TennCare enrollees Thursday as he detailed his plan to revamp the fiscally explosive program: “Don’t kill TennCare.”
While he didn’t name any particular group, Bredesen was referring to the Tennessee Justice Center, which — after hearing of the governor’s proposed changes earlier this year — renewed a court challenge to the way TennCare treats children.
Those efforts could impede implementation of the administration’s plan to save $950 million to $1 billion a year by 2008, and keep program spending within 26 percent of the state budget.
“I recognize that you have real power … to obstruct or delay this reform effort to where Tennessee is faced with no other choice but eliminating insurance for people who need it and who have a right to expect better,” Bredesen said.
“But when you claim victory, ask yourselves at what cost?”
TJC lawyer Michele Johnson took issue with Bredesen’s implication, saying her organization has an “ethical responsibility to those people…. We are acting in way responsible to all of them and we sure hope he will.”
Johnson, who was among a group of advocates briefed on the plan by the administration, said she is puzzled that their suggestions are “met with anger” by Bredesen and his staff.
“These should be insights that strengthen reform,” she said. “The people whose lives depend on this have a unique perspective he can’t possibly have. His perspective is HMOs.”
Bredesen has said that if his reforms fail, the state will have no choice but to return to traditional Medicaid — meaning 435,000 people currently receiving benefits could be left without coverage.
He noted the previous administration cut more than 100,000 people off the roles because the state couldn’t afford it.
“I believe that any one of those hundred thousand single parent or part-time employed Tennesseans would be delighted to have six prescriptions a month paid for. Today they have none,” he said.
Currently, the $7.8 billion state program covers 1.3 million poor, disabled and uninsured Tennesseans, not all of which would be eligible under basic Medicaid.
“If you preserve a diamond-studded plan for some of the people you claim to represent, but at the cost of hundreds of thousands of others who are also looking to you losing their health coverage, is that a victory for them?” Bredesen asked.
Under the plan, about 270,000 non-Medicaid eligible enrollees would have new limits on prescriptions, along with doctor and hospital visits. In addition, all 1.3 million enrollees would see some pharmacy changes, while some would see higher premiums.
Johnson believes the governor’s proposed changes — which still must undergo public review and approval by the federal government — may harm people as much as a return to Medicaid would.
“If the question is who is uncovered, then this plan leaves most of the people uncovered,” she said. “We’re not talking about diamond catheters and bronze wheelchairs, we’re talking about chemotherapy and office visits for people with cancer, asthma medication for children.”
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On the Net:
Bureau of TennCare: www.state.tn.us/tenncare
Tennessee Justice Center, www.tnjustice.org