Researchers to Study TennCare Cuts' Impact

November 3, 2005 Thursday

Researchers to study TennCare cuts' impact

By Emily Berry; Staff Writer

SECTION: LOCAL NEWS; Pg. B1

A Chattanooga-based re-search group announced Wednesday that it will launch a yearlong study of the effect of TennCare cuts on the community's health and economic well-being.

David Eichenthal, Community Research Council president and CEO, said research staffers began discussing a study of this kind in January and approached several foundations seeking funding.

"We come at this without any sort of predisposition of what the impacts are going to be," he said.

State Coverage Initiatives awarded $20,000 to the group, he said. State Coverage, a national program focused on expanding health coverage, is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Alice Burton, director of State Coverage Initiatives, said she hoped the study would be useful to public health officials in other states.

"Many states have been looking at Tennessee for a number of years for their experience in the TennCare program," she said. "We wanted to be able to provide them with some ground-level information about how changes in TennCare impacted people."

Mr. Eichenthal said the council will conduct six roundtable discussions, beginning Tuesday with one for social service and health care providers. The second is set on Nov. 14 for current and former TennCare enrollees. The other four meetings will be held before next October, he said.

TennCare spokeswoman Marilyn Elam said the bureau hadn't been contacted about the study, but state officials would be happy to work with researchers.

"It will certainly be helpful to have more data and thoughtful analysis to add to our work to date," Ms. Elam said in a statement.

The study could be expanded if the council can find more funding for a broader survey, Mr. Eichenthal said.

"We'd love to survey and research as wide a sample of current and former TennCare recipients as possible," he said.

After the meetings have been held, the research group will issue a final report with the help of State Coverage Initiatives, Mr. Eichenthal said.

He said the group hopes the study's results would better equip policymakers to decide the future of TennCare.

E-mail Emily Berry at eberry@timesfreepress.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Call (423) 267-7766, or e-mail tenncare@researchcouncil.net