Tennessee close to advancing Medicaid block grant bill

NASHVILLE, Tennessee: Tennessee lawmakers are inching closer to advancing a proposal that would significantly change how the state provides health care to its lower-income and disabled residents.
The GOP-controlled Senate April 30 voted 24-5 on a measure requiring the state’s top leaders to call on the federal government to send a fixed amount of money each year in the form of block grants.

The bill now goes to the House to approve last-minute changes.
Supporters argue the move allows Tennessee to better manage its Medicaid program. Critics counter it’ll open up opportunities to cut services.
Currently, the federal government pays an agreed-upon percentage of each state’s Medicaid costs, no matter how much they rise in any given year. Tennessee receives approximately $7.5 billion in federal money for its $12.1 billion Medicaid program. AP