• About
    • About Us
    • What We Cover
  • Advertise
    • Advertise
    • Our Advertisers
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Send News
  • Subscribe

Oak Ridge Today

  • Home
  • Sign in
  • News
    • Business
    • Community
    • Education
    • Government
    • Health
    • Police and Fire
    • U.S. Department of Energy
    • Weather
  • Sports
    • High School
    • Middle School
    • Recreation
    • Rowing
    • Youth
  • Entertainment
    • Arts
    • Dancing
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Television
    • Theater
  • Premium Content
  • Obituaries
  • Classifieds




Some concern in Oak Ridge as Congress considers repealing Affordable Care Act

Posted at 11:49 pm July 27, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Protesters express their opposition to the health care vote in May by U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann, a Tennessee Republican, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Rocky Top post office on May 9, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Protesters express their opposition to the health care vote in May by U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann, a Tennessee Republican, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Rocky Top post office on May 9, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The U.S. Senate continued to debate a potential repeal of at least part of the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare,” on Thursday night. It’s not clear what the Senate will eventually approve.

It’s also not clear what type of agreement the Senate can reach with the U.S. House of Representatives, if the Senate passes a bill. The House has already passed its own bill, the American Health Care Act.

On Thursday night, the Senate debate was focused on a so-called “skinny repeal,” which would roll back parts of the Affordable Care Act, or ACA. It would repeal the mandates that most people have health insurance and that large employers cover their employees, but it would leave most of the health law in place, The New York Times reported.

It wasn’t clear if the Republican-controlled Senate had the votes to advance the legislation.

The vote on “skinny repeal” expected tonight comes after Senate Republicans were unable to reach consensus on broader legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act and after an earlier repeal bill failed on Wednesday.

The health care debate in the Senate started with a 51-50 vote on Tuesday.

As the health care debate has played out in Congress this year, there has been some concern in Oak Ridge and Anderson County over the potential repeal of the Affordable Care Act, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama in March 2010. It’s considered his signature domestic legislative achievement.

There has also been some concern here over possible Medicaid cuts. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Government, Health, Top Stories Tagged With: ACA, Affordable Care Act, American Health Care Act, Anderson Walsh, Ann Walsh, Arc of Tennessee, Barack Obama, Bob Corker, CBO, Chuck Fleischmann, Congress, Congressional Budget Office, Emory Valley Center, health care bill, individual mandate, Jennifer Enderson, Jim Nelson, Joan Nelson, Lamar Alexander, Medicaid, Medicaid cuts, Obamacare, pre-existing conditions, skinny repeal, TennCare, U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate

Tennessee legislators request support for TennCare waiver extension

Posted at 12:40 pm December 28, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander

Lamar Alexander

U.S. Senator Bob Corker

Bob Corker

Submitted

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Nine members of Tennessee’s congressional delegation sent a letter this month to Marilyn Tavenner, administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, requesting an extension of TennCare’s waiver approval from earlier this year.

Because Tennessee does not receive funding through the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital, or DSH, program that every other state participates in, the lawmakers are requesting continuing funds to support Tennessee hospitals that help tens of thousands of low-income patients receive medical coverage they otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford. Just last year, these hospitals provided $950 million in charity care and $720 million in unreimbursed medical services to low-income Tennesseans.

Unlike hospitals in every other state, Tennessee hospitals are unable to offset these expenses with the help of the Medicaid DSH program. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Government, Health, Top Stories Tagged With: Bob Corker, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, charity care, Chuck Fleischmann, Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, Department of Health and Human Services, Diane Blac, disproportionate share hospital, DSH, Essential Hospital Access, health care, hospitals, House Ways and Means Hospital Improvements for Payment Act of 2014, Jim Cooper, John Duncan Jr., Lamar Alexander, low-income patients, Marilyn Tavenner, Marsha Blackburn, Medicaid, Medicaid DSH, medical coverage, Phil Roe, Steve Cohen, TennCare, TennCare waiver, Tennessee, unreimbursed medical services

UT study: Percentage of uninsured in Tennessee at its lowest in a decade

Posted at 12:47 pm November 17, 2014
By University of Tennessee Leave a Comment

KNOXVILLE—The percentage of uninsured Tennesseans is at its lowest rate in a decade, according to a report released Monday by the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

The report shows that 7.2 percent of Tennessee’s 6.5 million residents are uninsured, a 25 percent decrease from last year. The report also shows that 2.4 percent of children in the state are without insurance, a 35 percent decrease from last year.

The findings are included in “The Impact of TennCare: A Survey of Recipients 2014,” prepared by UT’s Center for Business and Economic Research, or CBER. The report’s authors are Angela Thacker, CBER research associate, and LeAnn Luna, CBER associate professor.

The declines coincide with the establishment of the Health Insurance Marketplace, which was put into place in early 2014 through the Affordable Care Act. The act also has had an impact on the state’s Medicaid program, TennCare, which has experienced the third highest new enrollment in its 20-year history. [Read more…]

Filed Under: College, Education, Federal, Government, Health, Top Stories Tagged With: Affordable Care Act, Angela Thacker, CBER, Center for Business and Economic Research, children, enrollment, health insurance marketplace, insurance status, LeAnn Luna, Medicaid, medical attention, satisfaction, TennCare, Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration, The Impact of TennCare: A Survey of Recipients 2014, uninsured, uninsured Tennesseans, University of Tennessee, UT

Haslam unveils health care reform plan, says ‘no’ to Medicaid expansion

Posted at 1:11 pm March 27, 2013
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Governor Bill Haslam

Bill Haslam

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam on Wednesday said he will not expand TennCare rolls under the Affordable Care Act.

Instead, the governor said, he wants to use federal dollars as part of a plan to purchase private health insurance for Tennesseans who would not otherwise have access to coverage.

In a Wednesday press release, Haslam called his plan “real health care reform.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Government, Health, State, Top Stories Tagged With: Affordable Care Act, Bill Haslam, General Assembly, health care exchange, health insurance, Medicaid, Medicaid expansion, Obamacare, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, reform, TennCare

Oliver Springs man charged with TennCare fraud for allegedly selling morphine

Posted at 2:51 pm March 14, 2013
By Tennessee Office of Inspector General Leave a Comment

An Oliver Springs man is charged in Cumberland County with TennCare fraud for selling prescription drugs obtained by using TennCare healthcare insurance benefits.

The Office of Inspector General on Wednesday announced the arrest of James E. Hall, 50, of Oliver Springs, after a joint investigation with the Oliver Springs Police Department. Hall is charged with TennCare fraud in allegations that he filled a prescription for the painkiller morphine, later selling a portion of the pills. TennCare paid for the physician office visit where he obtained the prescription for morphine.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Oliver Springs, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: Cumberland County, Deborah Y. Faulkner, James E. Hall, morphine, OIG, Oliver Springs, Oliver Springs Police Department, Randall A. York, TennCare, TennCare fraud, Tennessee Office of Inspector General

Letter: Medicaid, TennCare expansion could benefit Tennessee

Posted at 5:26 pm January 31, 2013
By Oak Ridge Today Letters Leave a Comment

To the Editor:

I just went to my first Breakfast with the Legislators, hosted by the League of Women Voters in Oak Ridge.

First, let me thank the League and the four legislators who came, representatives Kent Calfee and John Ragan, and senators Ken Yager and Randy McNally.

I appreciate the thoughtful and varied questions that were asked. I learned a lot from the legislators and the questions.

My particular area of concern was the expansion of Medicaid/TennCare in Tennessee under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Letters Tagged With: benefits, Breakfast with the Legislators, expansion, federal money, Medicaid, Obamacare, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, TennCare

Clinton man charged with TennCare fraud in Knox County

Posted at 2:10 pm September 26, 2012
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

An Anderson County man has been charged in Knox County with TennCare fraud for using his son’s TennCare healthcare insurance benefits, authorities said.

Anthony Eugene Morgan, alias Anthony Eugene Morgan Sr., 44, of Clinton, was arrested Wednesday, the Tennessee Office of Inspector General said in a press release. It’s Morgan’s second arrest for TennCare fraud.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Police and Fire Tagged With: Anthony Eugene Morgan, fraud, Office of Inspector General, Randall Nichols, TennCare

Search Oak Ridge Today

Classifieds

Public Notice: NNSA announces no significant impact of Y-12 Development Organization operations at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

ADFAC seeks contractors for five homes

Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) is a non-profit community based agency, … [Read More...]

Public notice: Draft environmental assessment for Y-12 Development Organization at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

Recent Posts

  • Rocky Top woman pleads guilty to murder, sentenced to life
  • REAC/TS welcomes new team members: John Crapo, Josh Hayes and David Quillen
  • NASA Postdoctoral Program seeks early career and senior scientists for prestigious fellowships at its locations across the U.S.
  • ORAU names Brandon Criswell associate general counsel
  • Update on downtown Oak Ridge Tuesday
  • TVA has virtual open house for Clinch River Nuclear Site
  • Science and supercomputers at ORNL topic of Mar. 8 talk
  • First Presbyterian offers free meals & groceries on Mar. 10
  • Secret City Academy student charged with terrorism after alleged shooting, bomb threats
  • ORHS Masquers presents ‘Into the Woods’
A Twitter List by OakRidgeToday

Recent Comments

  • Matt Bailey on Dodson also wants to serve as mayor pro tem
  • Mark Caldwell on Dodson also wants to serve as mayor pro tem
  • Matt Bailey on Dodson also wants to serve as mayor pro tem
  • Mark Caldwell on Dodson also wants to serve as mayor pro tem
  • Matt Bailey on Dodson also wants to serve as mayor pro tem
  • Tracy Powers on Planning Commission to consider Main Street apartments, plan revisions
  • johnhuotari on Four incumbents re-elected to Oak Ridge City Council
  • Levi D. Smith on Four incumbents re-elected to Oak Ridge City Council
  • samuel hopwood on Housing: Apartments proposed on former AMSE site
  • Matt Bailey on Robin Smith named Oak Ridge police chief

About Us

About Oak Ridge Today
What We Cover

How To

Advertise
Subscribe

Contact Us

Contact Oak Ridge Today

Copyright © 2022 Oak Ridge Today