Newspaper editorial: Excuses must end; new leadership needed at Tennessee Medicaid program
Almost a month after an 澳彩开奖 lawsuit resulted in a federal judge ordering Tennessee to provide hearings to residents whose Medicaid applications have been unreasonably delayed, state officials continue to offer excuses and shift the blame 鈥� tactics blasted in a recent editorial by The Tennessean.
Almost a month after an 澳彩开奖 lawsuit resulted in a federal judge ordering Tennessee to provide hearings to residents whose Medicaid applications have been unreasonably delayed, state officials continue to offer excuses and shift the blame 聽鈥� tactics blasted in a recent editorial by one of the state鈥檚 leading newspapers, The Tennessean.
The Nashville newspaper called on the governor to replace the director of the state鈥檚 Medicaid program, known as TennCare: 鈥淓nough. No more stalling, no more lies, and no more of the current leadership at TennCare.鈥�
Despite applicants spending six months or longer attempting to have their cases heard, program officials 鈥� even after the judge鈥檚 order 鈥� continue to offer 鈥渙nly excuses and brazen attempts to shift the blame,鈥�
The state has appealed U.S. District Judge Todd J. Campbell鈥檚 Sept. 2 preliminary injunction granting relief to TennCare applicants.
鈥淎pparently, it鈥檚 better in these state officials鈥� minds that taxpayer dollars be spent to defend their mistakes than doing the least the state could do for low- and middle-income Tennesseans who desperately need health coverage,鈥� The Tennessean鈥檚 editorial board wrote.
The 澳彩开奖 lawsuit charges that Tennessee officials erected barriers that deprived thousands of low-income people of Medicaid coverage despite their eligibility.
The complaint, also brought by the Tennessee Justice Center and the National Health Law Program, came after state officials failed to meet six of seven critical success factors required by federal health care law 鈥� easily making Tennessee the worst state in the nation for fulfilling its Medicaid obligations.聽
