CMS approves block grant waiver in Tennessee
By HME News Staff
Updated 9:26 AM CST, Thu January 14, 2021
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – CMS has approved Tennessee’s request for a block grant waiver for its state Medicaid program, TennCare, AAHomecare reports. The new program will allow TennCare to administer Medicaid with less oversight from the federal government, increasing its flexibility. The new block grant waiver – known as TennCare III – came after the General Assembly passed a law in 2019 directing Gov. Bill Lee’s administration to negotiate with CMS. TennCare must maintain current levels of service and populations served, but it now has increased flexibility to add new benefits without prior approval from CMS. Any savings the state achieves under the yearly cap will be eligible to be shared with Tennessee, as long as certain quality and access metrics are achieved. AAHomecare worked with HME stakeholders in Tennessee and TennCare leadership to ensure the program includes strong oversight mechanisms, while maintaining patient benefits and access to care. The association also submitted comments on the proposal.
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