Senator Kelsey Releases Health Care Reform Legislation

Senator Brian Kelsey on Monday announced the introduction of two health care reform bills in the Tennessee General Assembly.  One bill would expand the number of affordable health insurance options to Tennesseans by allowing for the purchase of health insurance across state lines, while the other would give TennCare recipients a personal health savings account (PHA) which is designed to give enrollees more choices and encourage them to make better health care decisions. In addition, Senator Kelsey has drafted a resolution asking Congress to give states the authority to design their own models of reform by providing block grants to the states for Medicaid.  

The senate bill would allow TennCare recipients to use a PHA to purchase a benefit coverage plan from an array of options approved by the Bureau of TennCare, ranging from the conventional safety net of limited benefits to full-service benefit plans. The range of options must provide a broad continuum of consumer flexibility including, but not limited to, managed care organizations, self-directed plans, and medical home networks. Plans offered as options would directly compete for the enrollee’s business.