Federal government opens 'comment period' for controversial TennCare overhaul

Anita Wadhwani | The Tennessean

Show Caption Hide Caption Medicaid Block Grant: Tennessee residents weigh in on groundbreaking proposal Tennessee's Medicaid Block Grant proposal met residents, experts and politicians across the state in 'town hall' style gatherings. Support was limited.

Tennesseans have one more chance to voice their opinions on a proposal to overhaul TennCare, the state health insurance program that covers one in every five people.

The federal government will collect comments until December 27 on the controversial plan by Gov. Bill Lee's administration to give state officials more authority to decide who is covered, what services are provided and how much the state will pay for them.

The public can log onto the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to submit comments here.

Under the proposal, TennCare would trade uncapped funding for a block grant of about $7.9 billion, plus additional money should more people enroll in the program.

State officials would also be freed from much federal oversight. If TennCare then operates at a lower cost, the state gets to keep half of any leftover money.

Tennessee is the first state to seek a block grant from the federal government.

TennCare pays for the healthcare of 1.4 million low-income children, children in state custody, pregnant women, seniors and people with disabilities.

Once the comment period ends, the federal government then begins negotiations with state officials that are expected to last at least six months. If a block grant deal is reached, it still must be approved by Tennessee lawmakers before it can be enacted.

The state government received more than 1,700 emails, letters and public statements opposing the governor's block grant proposal during a public input window that ended in October. Only 11 comments were submitted in support of the proposal.

Reach Anita Wadhwani at awadhwani@tennessean.com; 615-259-8092 or follow her on Twitter @AnitaWadhwani.