TennCare: Pharmacist blast state, Universal Care (UNPAID BILLS)

The Tennessean ^ | 9/28/02 | Bill Lewis

[GailA]

TennCare will spend about $1.8 billion on prescription drugs this year. But, pharmacists who are suing the state and a TennCare insurance company say the money doesn't always reach the people for whom it is intended.

Two pharmacists in tiny Gainesboro, Tenn., a town in the Upper Cumberlands east of Nashville, say they are owed a combined $156,000 by Universal Care of Tennessee. If the California-based insurance company won't pay, they say in a lawsuit, the state should be held responsible because it hired the company to help manage TennCare.

[GailA]

shillaryCare at work

[Joe Bonforte]

"You know, I'm sure if we put this pile of random mechanical parts together right, we'll have a Lexus!" - Tennessee legislator

[William McKinley]

I'M BACK!!!

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[upchuck]

By not paying some bills, TennCare and Universal in effect are forcing pharmacists to lend them money, Hatfield said.

As a person with considerable experience in the business administration side of medical practices, I can state that this is a universal problem.

Medicare, which is administered by the Feds, has this problem.

Medicaid, which is administered by the states, has this problem.

I'm not trying to make an excuse for this behavior, just pointing out that it's more pervasive than you might imagine.

[vetvetdoug]

Tennessee also has a "professional" tax on Pharmacists, Doctors, veterinarians, and accountants of greater than $400/year. This is one of the most unfair taxes ever levied, a sort of tax the "rich educated" on top of practice fees and all of the other fees the professionals have to pay. I recommended that politicians be included in the "professional" status and they obviously declined. Tennessee is going downhill fast corresponding with the overall number of democrats that are voting; the more democrats, the more taxes and less services.