TN TAX BATTLE: TENNCARE'S CHIEF (#8 IN 8 YRS) QUITS WITH PLAN IN JEOPARDY

TennCare's chief quits with plan in jeopardy By Paula Wade wade@gomemphis.com June 12, 2002

NASHVILLE - TennCare director Mark Reynolds is stepping down, leaving the controversial health program as lawmakers debate to either fund a scaled-down version of TennCare or to abolish it and return to Medicaid.

Gov. Don Sundquist's office is expected to announce today that TennCare's original architect, former state Medicaid director Manny Martins, will take over for Reynolds July 1. Martins is an assistant commissioner in the Department of Commerce and Insurance, where he is the chief regulator over TennCare's managed care organizations.

Lawmakers are considering budget plans that would abandon TennCare and drop 400,000 Tennesseans from health coverage, despite the fact TennCare's newly approved federal waiver enacts many of the cost-saving structural reforms legislators have requested. TennCare is the most ambitious Medicaid expansion program in the country and provides health coverage to 1.4 million Tennesseans.

Reynolds, a nationally recognized Medicaid administrator who was recruited from Massachusetts, enjoys near-universal respect among legislators, federal Medicaid officials, TennCare advocates and health care providers. When he came on as TennCare's seventh director two years ago he was given the task of straightening out TennCare's operations.

Reynolds, 39, played a key role in negotiating and carrying out TennCare's long-promised eligibility re-verification process that had been snarled in federal court and delayed in the TennCare bureaucracy. For years previous TennCare directors promised to implement an accurate, legally viable way to verify TennCare's enrollment, but Reynolds was the first to do it.

"He brought an expertise in health policy and Medicaid administration that was unmatched by anybody, with possible exception of Manny Martins," said TennCare advocate Gordon Bonnyman. "He had credibility with very diverse constituencies; everybody acknowledged his expertise and his smarts and his integrity. He has a candid style that, combined with his obvious expertise and knowledge, engenders confidence. That's important in negotiations and in building trust."

Sundquist administration officials refused to comment for the record Tuesday, but lobbyists for TennCare MCOs, hospitals and advocacy groups said they had been notified of the news. Finance Commissioner Warren Neel unwittingly confirmed the story but declined to discuss details. On hearing of Reynolds's departure, Sen. Robert Rochelle (D-Lebanon) said: "Oh, no. I hate that."

"His knowledge has been invaluable in the improvement of TennCare since he's been there, and it's been a marked improvement," said Rochelle. "Mark would tell you if something wasn't a good idea, or if it wouldn't work. He told you things you needed to hear, even when you didn't want to hear it."

Reynolds did not return reporters' phone calls Tuesday. Rochelle said he has not given up on TennCare's survival in the budget talks. "It's true that unless we find the votes for a true tax solution TennCare will not survive but I think it's premature for anyone to make that judgment," said Rochelle.

Meanwhile, the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday recommended approval of a separate version of the TennCare reform bill than the one approved by the House last month. The committee version now goes to the full Senate. Both versions of the bill echo many reforms made to the program in TennCare's new five-year federal waiver.

The bill would require annual eligibility verification, prohibit adults from enrolling if they have access to other health insurance, require a review of health condition and medical records for people whom private firms refuse to insure, require self-employed applicants to furnish copies of their federal tax returns, beef up the Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Unit at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and other measures.

The Senate bill also requires applicants to prove Tennessee residency and prevents more affluent people from transferring their assets to a spouse so the other could receive taxpayer-funded nursing home care.

Sen. Jerry Cooper (D-McMinnville), bill sponsor, said, "I think the taxpayers of Tennessee want some responsibility on the part of TennCare enrollees. I believe the people of Tennessee believe we have a bloated program."

Rep. Frank Buck showed us a good example of why TennCare is a bad idea that needs to shut down. A 91 year old lady in his district has $491,000 in the bank but was collecting TennCare for her nursing home bills. No doubt her children are big TennCare advocates... they want to preserve their inheritance by letting taxpayers foot the bill instead of drawing down her half-million nestegg.

Lawmakers are considering budget plans that would abandon TennCare and drop 400,000 Tennesseans from health coverage...

Oh boy, that is a bummer. Socialist lawmakers were really counting on these "purchased" votes for the income tax. Not to worry, I'm sure you haven't begun to hear the howls of "You're throwing Grandma into the streets you cruel, selfish B*******" yet.

Li'l pigs like Manny just go from one trough to another, don't they? And, isn't it nice to know the "original architect" of the trough can come back and dip its snout yet again?

Credibility, integrity, diverse constituency! N i i i i c e! Accountability, affordability, manageability, efficiency, foresight. Small potatoes. (Or is should that be potatos? Gsoh darn that Dan Quail.)

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