Note: Opinion pieces are submitted by outside sources. This piece was submitted by the Tennessee Justice Center.
As Congress undertakes the most sweeping changes in federal health programs in a generation, rural communities find themselves in the crosshairs. That is because health care in rural America is very dependent on those federal programs, especially Medicaid.
Medicaid, known in Tennessee as TennCare, has changed dramatically from its beginning fifty years ago. It has evolved into a principal source of funding for health care systems that benefit the entire community.
Medicaid covers over half of pregnant mothers and babies, funding the neonatal centers that are essential parts of Tennessee’s health care system. Medicaid covers over half of all Tennessee kids and is the single most important payer for services for children with severe health care needs.
It covers a quarter million Tennesseans with disabling illnesses. Medicaid pays for 61% 0f nursing home care. It is the largest single payer for mental health and addiction services, a crucial role in Tennessee, where the opioid and meth addiction epidemics are among the worst in the nation. In all its varied roles, Medicaid is especially important in rural Tennessee, where enrollment in the program is generally twice as high as in urban counties.
Congress proposes to cut $1 trillion from Medicaid over the next several years. Our elected officials must understand what that would mean for Tennessee, and must ensure that congressional actions do not harm rural Tennesseans’ health.