Thursday, May 22, 2008

Measure to expand long-term care options wins House approval

NASHVILLE (AP) -- A proposal that will allow the state to offer more home and community-based care has passed the House.

The House voted 97-0 to pass the bill championed by Gov. Phil Bredesen and sponsored by Rep. Dennis Ferguson, a Democrat from Harriman.

The Senate must approve some small differences between its version and the House's.

TennCare, the state expanded Medicaid program, currently spends almost all its annual $1.2 billion long-term care budget on nursing homes.

The legislation would begin the process of directing about half of those funds toward home-based care over the next decade.

It also seeks to simplify the process for determining eligibility and for enrolling in home-based care programs.



Norman DeLisle, MDRC
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