What’s going on:
- TennCare wants to change the rules for in-home nursing care.
- Right now, they look at what care a person needs for their health.
- The new rule would let TennCare decide based mostly on how much the care costs—not just on what a person needs.
This change affects people in programs like:
- ECF CHOICES
- CHOICES
- Katie Beckett
What this means:
- If in-home nursing costs more than care in a facility (like a nursing home), TennCare may say:
- You have to get less care at home, even if it’s not enough.
- Or you have to move into a facility, even if you don’t want to.
Why this is a problem:
- People may be forced to live somewhere they don’t choose.
- There aren’t enough beds in those places anyway.
- People could get sicker without the care they need.
- If TennCare does this for nursing care, they could do it for other services too.
What You Can Do:
Speak up and say NO to this rule. By June 23, 2025:
- Send an email comment
- Say you are against the rule and/or share your personal story with nursing services.
- Send it to: aaron.c.butler@tn.gov
- Deadline: June 23 by 5:00 PM Central Time
- Speak at the hearing
- In person:
- June 23 at 2:00 PM Central
- TennCare Office: 310 Great Circle Road, Nashville, TN
- Online:
- Join Link:
- Webinar number: 2301 368 7154
- Password: WpeDx79Dyf6 (or 97339793 by phone)
- Contact your state lawmakers
- Tell them you don’t support this change and/or share your personal story with nursing services.
- Find their names and contact info at: https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/Apps/fmlv3/lookup.aspx
- In person:
For more detailed information, see this link
To see a copy of Tennessee Disability Coalition's Public Comment on the proposed rule, see this link