Copyright 2005
Local nonprofit hopes to broaden scope of TennCare
study, CEO says
Emily Berry, Staff Writer
SECTION: NEWS; Pg. B10
A nonprofit group examining the financial and health impacts of TennCare cuts may expand its research beyond
The Chattanooga-based Community Research Council in November
launched a study of how changes to TennCare, the
state's Medicaid program, are affecting people around the region.
Gov. Phil Bredesen implemented a series of changes to
TennCare this year that included removing about
191,000 people from the program and limiting prescriptions for most of the
remaining enrollees.
In the meantime, he said, the group is moving ahead with its work paid for by
the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's State Coverage Initiatives. The research
council plans to issue a report in October, Mr. Eichenthal said.
TennCare enrollee advocate Tony Garr, director of the
Tennessee Health Care Campaign, said he hoped the council would find funding to
expand its work to rural areas of the state, which he said have been among the
hardest hit by TennCare cuts.
"Unless some of the survey work is done in those counties, then, to me,
the report will not have much meaning," Mr. Garr said.
Council researchers hosted two forums in November: one for social service and
health care providers, another for current and former TennCare
enrollees.
Social worker Bonnie Cummins, who works at the Northside
Neighborhood House, participated in the provider forum. The agency provides
emergency assistance to people facing utility cutoffs or who need an emergency
food supply.
She said some of her clients have serious health conditions and now don't have
health insurance.
"I'm glad people are looking into it," she said.
E-mail Emily Berry at eberry@timesfreepress.com