Tennessee Gov. Bredesen Seeks Expansion Of Home And Community-Based Care For Medicaid Beneficiaries

Main Category: Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP
Article Date: 11 Apr 2006 - 20:00 PST

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Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen (D) on Wednesday announced plans to expand funding for home and community-based care for Medicaid beneficiaries who are elderly or who have disabilities, the Tennessean reports. Bredesen has filed for CMS approval of the proposal, which would be funded by about $2.3 million in state money and $4 million in federal funds, according to Brian McGuire, legislative director for AARP Tennessee. Bredesen, who has included the plan in his budget proposal, said the changes would make home and community-based care more accessible alternatives to nursing home care. Under the proposal, Medicaid beneficiaries who qualify for nursing home care would be eligible to receive coverage for community-based care instead of nursing home care. Beneficiaries also could receive coverage for "in-home respite care," in which a caregiver serves as a short-term substitute for a family member who is the primary caregiver. The state currently spends nearly all of its long-term care money on nursing homes, according to the Tennessean. Bredesen said, "We don't do enough with that money in bending it to the uses of our home and community-based care." McGuire said, "Instead of having all the money available for nursing homes, we want to make sure there's a balance. Why are we forcing people into institutions when it costs the state more?" Katherine Pesut -- director of communications for the Tennessee Health Care Association, which represents about 300 long-term care facilities -- said, "We have always supported an increase in funding for long-term care including home and community-based services." THCA "does not support funding of home and community-based services at the expense of nursing home patients," she added (Pinto, Tennessean, 4/6).

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