End-of-life counseling may end with TennCare cuts

NASHVILLE - Counseling services for dying patients in Tennessee would be eliminated under possible state budget cuts in TennCare, the state's version of Medicaid.

In his budget presentation to Gov. Bill Haslam, TennCare Director Darin Gordon said today that, under a 3 percent cut scenario, he is recommending optional hospice benefits such as psychological and religious counseling for terminally ill patients to save $14.5 million in state funds.

TennCare officials repeatedly emphasized the hospice cuts would not impact medical services including pain control, home health services and physician care. The cuts in state counseling services funds would also eliminate about $28.5 million in federal matching funds.

Another proposed reduction would increase a previously approved 7 percent cut in provider reimbursements to 8.5 percent, saving the state another $26 million. That would result in the loss of about $51 million in federal matching funds.

Meanwhile, the 7 percent reductions, which were delayed a year by federal stimulus funds, at this point appear likely to take effect in the 2011-2012 budget that goes into effect July 1.

For complete details, see tomorrow's Times Free Press.

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