New policy helps TennCare enrollees receive home care

NASHVILLE, Tenn. Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. – TennCare enrollees will be able to receive health care at home or in a community setting instead of a nursing home under a new policy announced by the state Wednesday.

The presumptive eligibility policy allows the state to pay for an enrollee’s home and community-based service on day one instead of having that person wait 30 days to be Medicaid eligible, officials said.

“We have removed a prominent stumbling block for people who prefer HCBS services in institutional care,” TennCare Director J.D. Hickey said in a news release. “This is a move that will improve choice for our enrollees and have positive effects on their day-to-day living.”

The federal government caps the number of enrollee slots available for HCBS programs. Currently, TennCare has just over 3,420 slots and has asked the federal government to raise the public health care program’s allotment by 475.

Officials with AARP, which is often critical of TennCare, say they’re pleased with the new policy.

“Tennessee lags far behind all other states in offering its residents less expensive alternatives to nursing home,” said Rebecca Kelly, Tennessee’s AARP director. “Today, there is hope that we are moving in the right direction for the state of Tennessee.”

TennCare is the state’s Medicaid program for 1.2 million poor, uninsured and disabled individuals.

Gov. Phil Bredesen has cut about 180,000 people from the TennCare rolls and reduced benefits for thousands of others to control costs in the $8 billion program.

TennCare officials say the new policy is not a result of the changes because the governor “has always had a commitment” to improving long-term care alternatives.