By Todd Hatton/AP
Nashville, TN – A federal judge has authorized the state of Tennessee to check the eligibility of 150,000 TennCare recipients as a way to help state budget restraints.
U.S. District Judge John Nixon heard arguments in the case Wednesday and ruled on the matter yesterday.
TennCare officials said after the ruling that they will start the review process. They estimate the state spends over a billion dollars annually to provide health care insurance to the
approximately 1 point 2 million children, pregnant women, and disabled Tennesseans.
Governor Phil Bredesen has directed TennCare and other agencies to reduce spending by 15 percent, possibly more. The program costs about 7 billion dollars a year.
Attorneys for the enrollees have said the move would put tens of thousands of lives at risk.