Since taking office in 2002, Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen cut more than 500,000 people from TennCare’s rolls, significantly reforming the program and staving off a state budget crisis.
Hospitals in the state agreed to a 3.5 percent fee assessment in 2010 to prevent further cuts in the program.
Despite these reforms, the program will continue to face funding challenges. In July, the program could lose $1 billion after stimulus money and other temporary funding ends, according to the report.
If the program is forced to expand its roles as a result of reform, it is expected to face further challenges as well.
Read The Tennessean report on TennCare.
Read more coverage on Medicaid:
– State Medicaid Programs to Get $206M for Enrolling More Children
– Judge Dismisses Lawsuit by Massachusetts Hospitals Over Medicaid Payments
