Senators Tracy and Ketron lead education efforts

  • August 22, 2008

(MURFREESBORO, TN) – Local State Senators Jim Tracy and Bill Ketron are leading efforts to educate elderly and disabled Tennesseans and their families about a new law passed by the Tennessee General Assembly giving them more long term care options. The lawmakers, who co-sponsored the bill, and Tennessee Medicaid Waiver Administrator Phil Barrett visited the St. Clair Senior Center in Murfreesboro on Friday to provide information on the landmark legislation.

The meeting was recorded by Murfreesboro Cable Channel 3 and will be broadcast in early September. It was the last in a series of forums conducted by Tracy and Ketron in several Middle Tennessee counties to educate the public about the new law.

“I am excited about the opportunities that this legislation provides to our senior citizens to give them more options,” said Senator Tracy, who also served on the Long Term Care Study Committee that laid the groundwork for the bill’s structure. “It will have a tremendous impact on our senior and disabled citizens, as well as their families who will benefit greatly by having more choices in their long term care needs.”

Key provisions of the new law are:
• creates consumer-directed care options, including the ability to hire non-traditional family members, friends, and neighbors with accountability for taxpayer funds
• broadens residential care choices in the community beyond nursing facilities, including new options such as companion care, family care homes, and providing improved access to assisted care living facilities
• streamlines the eligibility process for faster service delivery and the enrollment process for new providers
• maintains a single point of entry for people who are not on TennCare today and need access to long-term care services through Medicaid or other available programs
• uses existing Medicaid funds to serve more people in cost-effective home and community settings
• implements active transition and diversion programs for people who can be safely and effectively cared for at home or in another community setting outside the nursing home

“As I talk to citizens about this new law, I am very encouraged by their comments,” added Ketron. “Families are the backbone of our long term care system and this law will help our loved ones ‘age in place’ in their homes.”

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