NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee officials say there are now more than 290 enrollees in a new program offering coverage for children living at home with significant disabilities.
Tennessee’s Medicaid program, TennCare, announced enrollment totals Monday for the Katie Beckett program, with 849 applications since a late November 2020 start.
Tennessee legislation signed in May 2019 required the state to pursue the program. Federal officials approved Tennessee’s two-part plan in November.
Part A provides Medicaid services for the most significant disabilities or complex medical needs. Part B provides up to $10,000 annually to cover private insurance or care that insurance doesn’t cover.
Under federal law, when a child is in a medical institution for at least 30 days, the parents’ income doesn’t count while determining the child’s Medicaid eligibility. That provision doesn’t apply when the child leaves the institution. The Katie Beckett program lets states help families pay for therapy and medical equipment to maintain kids at home.
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