►
Description
House Session- 3rd. Legislative Day
A
Mr
sergeant
of
arms
invite
the
members
into
the
chamber
and
close
the
doors.
I
hereby
declare
the
house
representatives
of
the
112th
general
assembly
of
the
city
of
tennessee
now
in
session.
Will
the
members
please
stand?
Will
the
visitors
in
the
gallery
please
stand
and
remain
standing
through
the
pledge
of
allegiance
representative
carr
will
serve
as
chaplain
of
the
day
representative
carr.
You
are
recognized.
Thank.
B
You,
mr
speaker,
let's
bow
our
heads,
our
kind,
loving
heavenly
fathers
we
come
before
thee
today,
lord.
We
know
that
we
have
all
seen
and
come
short
of
the
glory
of
god,
but
dear
heavenly
father.
We
know
that
you
died
upon
the
cross
to
save
us
from
all
of
our
sins.
All
that
we
have
to
do
is
trust
you,
as
a
young
child
trust,
is
their
father
and
mother.
That's
the
way
that
we
should
trust
you.
We
pray
the
day
that
our
meeting
here
that
will
be
pleasing
to
thee.
B
We
pray
that
today
that
we
do
the
things
that
tennesseans
would
have
us
to
do
and
that
we
continue
to
continue
to
bring
this
great
state
along
lord
and
do
as
our
will
would
have
us
to
do.
Forgive
us
for
many
sins.
Lord
and
lord.
We
pray
for
all
the
sick
and
afflicted
that
are
here
today
and
the
ones
that
are
not
here
today,
lord,
that
this
2020
has
been
such
a
bad
year,
but
just
remember
lord.
B
B
A
C
C
A
A
E
F
I
just
wanted
to
say
something
to
leader
lambert
that
give
me
a
chance
to
just
take
care
of
my
people.
Let
me
just
say
one
thing
to
karen
camper.
I
really
wanted
to
be
the
first
to
say
that,
but
he
keeps
beating
me
to
the
punch,
so
we
can
have
we're.
Gonna
have
to
work
out
some
kind
of
cooperation
deal
here.
Okay,
peter
lambert,.
E
G
Thank
you,
mr
chairman,
and
certainly
I
wanted
to
pause
today
to
to
recognize
that
in
at
howard
university,
a
great
sorority
was
started.
The
alpha
kappa
alpha
sorority,
incorporated
to
want
to
salute
them
on
their
113
years
of
service
to
mankind
and
special
congratulations,
and
thanks
to
my
wife,
who
was
a
member
of
the
sorority
and
also
dr
barbara
cooper,
who
was
a
member
of
this
royal
bank.
Dr
cooper
is
celebrating.
This
is
her
sororities
founder's
day
today.
Congratulations
to
all
the
akas.
C
I
C
C
D
D
K
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
just
want
to
recognize
one
of
our
county
commissioners
that
potentially
saved
the
life
of
two
inmates
at
the
workhouse
david
gammon,
I've
known
david
since
I
was
13
years
old.
He
dated
my
sister,
who
sadly
had
battled
cancer
into
the
nursing
home
now
but
david,
if
you're
listening
just
want
to
thank
your
brother
for
all
you've
done
your
inspiration,
your
encouragement
and
thank
you
to
the
workhouse
superintendent
bill,
cope
for
recognizing
david
and
mayor
kitchen
for
recognized
david
last
night
at
the
county
commission.
K
E
E
E
E
E
C
A
A
A
C
E
E
A
L
L
L
E
L
L
L
Yes,
sir
representative,
thank
you.
Tenncare
has,
in
their
presentation,
stated
that
this
would
not
cut
provider
rates
and
they
are
on
the
record
in
committee
saying
that
they
would
not
con
cut
provider
rates.
The
demonstration
requires
tenncare
to
meet
certain
quality
and
that's
on
page
six
of
that
letter.
Tenncare
has
agreed
that
if
there
were
any
rate
reductions
to
providers,
they
would
not
be
able
to
meet
those
quality
metrics.
L
Thank
you
speaker.
This
does
not
this
waiver
does
not
allow
for
cuts
in
coverage
or
decrease
in
benefits.
On
page
five
of
that
16
page
letter
it
clearly
states
any
coverage
or
benefit
changes
to
existing
populations.
Covered
are
limited
to
those
that
are
additive
in
nature
and
the
state
is
not
authorized
to
make
reductions
in
its
current
approved
coverage
or
benefits
package
without
approval
of
another
amendment.
L
Thank
you
speaker
now,
I'm
not
here
to
say
everything
that
demonstration
is
not
without
some
issues
or
some
concerns.
There
may
be
things
that
we're
going
to
need
to
address
once
this
passes,
but
these
are
issues
that
would
likely
we
would
have
to
address
because
we
are
renegotiating
our
current
waiver
that
would
have
been
renegotiated
mid-year.
L
That
being
said,
the
governor
lee
and
tenncare
have
negot
have
negotiated
in
good
faith
on
behalf
of
the
state
of
tennessee,
and
they
have
stated
they
would
not
move
forward
if
they
did
not
think
this
was
a
good
deal
for
tennessee
and
for
our
tenncare
population
and
cms,
clearly
states
on
page
10
and
in
their
letter
to
tenncare
in
bold,
the
demonstration
will
expand
coverage
and
improve
health
outcomes,
and
this
waiver
would
allow
us
more
flexibility
to
provide
care
for
tennesseans.
That
is
consistent
with
the
test
10th
amendment.
Would
you
agree
with
that
leader
ambrose?
L
Yes,
sir,
absolutely
representative,
thank
you,
mr
speaker,
understanding
that
this
waiver
is
and
is
not
and
what
it
does
and
does
not
do.
I
will
be
supporting
this
legislation
and
look
forward
to
the
opportunity
to
provide
better
health
care
to
tennesseans
both
as
a
legislator
and
physician.
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
N
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
I
appreciate
the
opportunity
rise
to
speak
on
this
today
and
thank
you,
mr
leader.
I
appreciate
the
work
that
you
put
into
this
and
I
would
like
to
reiterate
some
of
what
chairman
terry
said
in
his
comments.
I
agree
with
him
this
and
I
think
it
was
said
previously.
This
doesn't
need
to
be
a
partisan
issue.
This
is
a
fair
debate.
I
think
in
the
past,
mr
leader,
you
and
I
can
agree,
we've
gotten
into
this
back
and
forth.
N
N
We
have
10
new
members
in
this
body.
It's
over
10
of
this
body
has
turned
over
since
we
passed
this,
eight
of
whom
are
republicans
and
that's
roughly
700
000
tennesseans.
So
I
appreciate
the
opportunity
to
discuss
this.
I
think
the
people
who
are
represented
here
today
with
new
members
deserve
the
opportunity
to
be
heard
and
represented
as
well.
N
N
So
again,
mr
speaker
and
mr
leader,
I
appreciate
the
opportunity
to
discuss
this
today.
What
this
block
grant
or
modified
block
grant
does
is
it
makes
tennessee
the
great
american
experiment
or
the
guinea
pig
of
the
united
states
today
we're
considering
authorization
of
a
modified
medicaid
black
grant,
the
likes
of
which
have
never
been
used
by
any
other
state.
In
this
country,
stephen
smith
stated
in
the
insurance
subcommittee.
Yesterday
quote,
we
will
be
the
first
state
in
this
country
to
go
forward
with
this
type
of
program.
N
N
N
But
what
we
do
not
need
to
do
is
add
a
new
level
of
instability
in
our
tenncare
system
to
the
list
of
grave
concerns
that
we
have
to
address
this
year
today,
which
was
expressly
stated
with
no
express
statement.
There
is
no
aim
to
improve
services
or
provide
coverage
to
more
tennesseans
in
this
proposal,
we're
seeking
to
authorize
a
section
1115
demonstration
project
so
that
we
can
be
america's
guinea
pig.
N
This
is
not
the
administration.
We
won't
overseeing
something
like
this.
Our
tenncare
office
and
department
has
had
trouble
implementing
computer
systems.
It
has
accidentally
kicked
hundreds
of
thousands
of
children
off
the
rolls
in
recent
years,
and
now
we
want
to
reinvent
a
system
that
is
working
that
can
be
made
more
efficient.
N
That
can
be
improved,
but
we
are
overhauling
it
and
we're
the
first
of
our
kind
to
do
this
and
it
threatens
the
fiscal
integrity
of
our
state.
Now.
I
know
you'll
disagree
with
me
about
that,
because
I've
heard
a
lot
about
cost
sharing,
cost
savings
that
we'll
experience-
and
I
understand
that
argument
and
that
argument
deserves
a
lot
of
weight.
N
First
of
all,
despite
what
representations
have
been
made,
the
only
way
to
achieve
cost
savings
in
this
program
when
you
get
down
into
the
nuts
and
bolts
of
it.
Despite
what
has
been
alleged
in
committee
by
the
teen
care
director
and
others,
you
either
have
to
cut
services,
cut
participants
or
cut
payments
to
providers.
N
Ultimately,
there
are
no
assurances
of
cost
savings
or
benefits
in
this
waiver
at
best,
at
best
cost
savings
are
speculative
under
the
dsip
program
or
the
designated
savings
investment
program.
The
state
qualifies
for
shared
savings
annually
when
it
under
spends
the
quote
without
waiver
in
quote
aggregate
cap
and
meets
quality
targets.
N
N
N
Now
tremendous
talked
about,
we
must
spend
this
well,
there's
no
guarantee
that
any
will
be
spent
up
until
the
10-year
mark
under
the
language
of
this
proposal.
So
even
if
we
generate
savings,
it
could
literally
sit
on.
The
state
could
literally
sit
on
these
call
savings
without
providing
any
health
related
services,
and
now
this
may
sound
ridiculous.
But
this
isn't
a
baseless
concern.
N
We
cannot
afford
to
do
this,
even
if
we
achieve
these
cost
savings.
We
cannot
afford
the
risk
that
those
funds
will
not
be
used
for
the
purposes
intended
in
this
waiver
now,
while
the
cost
savings
are
speculative,
the
risk
to
our
state
budget
is
real
in
year.
Five,
under
the
language
of
this,
the
federal
government
has
the
ability
to
move
the
goal
post
on
us
and
all
the
risk
under
this
proposal
could
shift
to
the
states.
N
N
N
Now,
while
this
insurance
provides
me
some
level
of
relief
and
comfort,
and
it
should
all
of
you
that
6
billion
is
still
less
than
the
6.4
billion
dollars,
we
could
have
had
if
we
had
expanded
tenncare
now.
I
know
this
isn't
being
pitched
as
an
alternative
that,
but
look
what
we're
doing
we're
proposing
to
blow
up
a
system
that
is
working
that
can
be
improved.
N
But
it's
working
in
the
middle
of
a
pandemic
to
get
six
billion
dollars
in
previous
savings,
or
we
can
improve
our
system,
expand
ten
care
and
start
realizing
billions
without
reinventing
the
will
and
really
importantly,
what
you
have
not
heard
anyone
discuss,
though
chairman
terry
did
admit.
This
is
not
identical
to
legislation
we
passed.
You
have
not
heard
anyone
discuss
in
the
past
48
hours,
the
language
of
our
legislation
that
was
not
included
in
the
waiver
granted
by
the
federal
government
public
chapter
number
481
that
we
pass
in
this
body.
Section
186
says
in
part.
N
N
N
Now
I've
heard
many
of
you
preach
about
the
inherent
dangers
of
non-recurring
revenues
for
recurring
obligations,
and
I
think
all
of
us
here
who
had
the
honor
of
serving
with
the
late
chairman
charles
sargent,
had
that
tattooed
on
our
forehead
at
some
point
during
our
tenure.
If
we
ever
came
before
his
committee
or
question
his
budget,
this
is
the
biggest
most
dangerous
example
of
using
non-recurring
or
relying
on
non-recurring
money
that
I
have
ever
heard
of
in
state
government.
N
Finally,
on
the
fiscal
argument,
I'd
be
remiss
if
I
didn't
mention
tenncare
expansion,
one
more
time
now
we
keep
saying
this
isn't
an
alternative,
but
that's
how
you've
preached
it.
That's
how
you've
pitched
it.
For
years,
we
could
be
receiving
a
90,
10
federal
share
to
expand
tenncare
for
past
several
years
and
can
still
do
so
moving
forward.
N
So
if
we're
going
to
talk
about
that,
this
is
going
to
cover
more
people
or
not
cut
coverage.
We
could
cover
more
people
with
a
90
10
split,
get
the
billions
from
the
federal
government
not
blow
up
our
current
system
and
not
lose
the
benefit
of
the
percentage
that
we
would
get
under
10
care
expansion.
N
N
Our
loss
of
health
coverage
for
kids
is
among
the
worst
in
the
nation.
Hundreds
die
every
year
from
addiction,
because
they're,
uninsured
and
a
third
of
our
state
has
a
pre-existing
condition
and
face
the
loss
of
affordable
coverage.
If
our
tennessee
attorney
general
succeeds
in
his
ongoing
efforts
to
strike
down
the
affordable
care
act.
C
E
I
thank
mr
speaker,
and
while
we
went
a
little
long
on
that,
I
do
deeply
appreciate
your
comments,
sir.
I
disagree
with
most
of
them,
but
I
do
respect
your
perspective
on
an
inability
for
to
advocate.
For
your
point
of
view,
I
did
want
to
mention
that
under
governor
mcwhorter,
an
esteemed
gentleman
from
your
party,
the
ten
cure
system
that
we
have
now
was
described
in
many
of
the
same
terms
that
you
just
described
this
someone
has
to
lead.
E
Someone
has
to
be
first
with
an
innovative
idea,
so
just
because
it's
new,
just
because
it's
different
doesn't
mean
it's
bad
and
again
that
comes
really
from
the
debate
when
the
10
care
program
was
originally
even
considered.
But
again,
I
deeply
appreciate
your
comments,
while
disagreeing
with
almost
all
of
them.
Thank
you,
sir.
L
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
and
to
comment
on
some
of
the
comments
that
the
gentleman
from
davidson
county
said
again.
To
reiterate,
this
is
not
a
block
grant
on
page
12.
It
clearly
states
that
they
understand
the
concerns
and
are
not
approving
the
block
grant
financing
approach
the
state
described
in
its
original
application.
L
Secondly,
the
gentleman
from
davidson
county
spoke
about
deferring
this
to
rainy
day
funds
to
the
rainy
day
fund.
Again,
those
are
state
funds,
and
if
you
look
at
page
12
of
that
16
page
letter,
it
said
the
savings
must
be
reinvested
in
allowable
health
programs
and
cannot
be
diverted
from
critical
medicaid
programs
to
other
expenses.
L
Lastly,
he
spoke
of
using
non-recurring
funds
and
when
I
spoke
of
potentially
using
that
to
help
bolster
rural
counties
for
disproportionate
share
funding,
I'm
not
speaking
of
that
in
a
recurring
manner,
but
if
we
do
happen
to
have
some
shared
savings
from
that,
it
is
an
opportunity
during
that
year
to
reinvest
into
our
rural
communities.
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
M
M
I'd
like
to
remind
the
members
of
this
body,
along
with
the
tennesseans
that
are
watching
and
as
actually
I
see
chairman
hawk's
orange,
mask
pop
up
over
his
little
plexiglas
shield
over
there.
This
has
been.
This
has
been
a
program
and
a
discussion
we
have
had
for
the
last
20
years
and
he
can
speak
to
this
much
better
than
I.
This
has
been
in
discussion
for
20
years.
I
sit
on
the
t
I
set
on
the
ten
care
subcommittee.
M
We
literally
set
through
multiple
presentations
this.
This
medicaid
shared
savings
program,
has
gone
through
16
different
committee
hearings
since
february
of
2019..
There
is
no
doubt
there
are
times
down
here.
We
rush
a
process,
but
I
can
assure
you-
and
I
can
assure
the
tennesseans
that
are
watching
right
now.
This
is
not
one
of
those
times
16
different
committee
hearings,
four
full
presentations
by
tenncare,
along
with
two
additional
presentations,
one
to
each
caucus.
That
happened
just
this
week,
members.
M
This
has
been
thoroughly
vetted
a
leader
gantt
and
I
both
sit
on
tenncare,
sub
insurance
and
finance
in
the
111th
general
assembly,
and
we
set
through
all
of
those
meetings
we
have
vetted.
We
have
walked
through
this.
We
have
done
everything
possible
to
ensure
that
this
is
a
win
for
tennessee
there's.
No
doubt
there
will
continue
to
be
conversations
and
that's
fine,
but
you've
got
to
put
it
in
the
proper
context.
When
a
resolution
like
this
comes
before
this
body,
when
we
have
done
this,
this
is
my
fourth
term.
We've
done
this
many
times.
M
M
and
additionally,
I'm
going
to
stand
up
here
and
also
defend
our
our
tenncare
team
and
the
medicare
program
that
we
have
having
the
privilege
to
be
able
to
sit
on
the
tenncare
subcommittee
for
the
last
two
years.
I've
heard
this
and
I've
seen
the
documentation
it's
been
provided
to
us.
Our
medicaid
program
is
considered
one
of
the
top
five
programs
in
the
nation,
one
of
the
top
five.
We
lead
the
nation
in
limiting
the
growth
of
state
dollars
required
to
opera
operate
the
program.
Our
annual
trends
are
well
below
state
averages.
M
We
have
a
member
satisfaction
rate
of
90
percent,
we're
recognized
as
a
leader
for
our
from
our
level
of
access
by
our
providers,
we're
delivering
innovators
and
system
reforms
in
ltts
and
all
these
other
acronyms
that
I
don't
even
know
what
they
mean.
We
also
recently
received
two
national
awards
regarding
our
ted's
implementation.
M
So
we
we
have
one
of
the
best
run,
medicaid
programs
in
the
country
and,
let's
be
really
transparent
too.
We
are
the
most
fiscally
stable
state
in
the
nation.
We
are
considered
by
most
publications,
one
of
the
top
three
run
states
in
the
nation
in
most
categories,
medicaid
being
one
of
those,
I
am
going
to
always
trust
us
to
do
it.
The
tennessee
way
more
than
I'm
going
to
trust
any
federal
program
coming
out
of
washington.
M
What
this
does
is
provide
us
with
the
ability
and
the
flexibility
to
enhance
services
to
provide
a
higher
quality
of
care
to
tennesseans.
We
can
talk
about
quality
of
care.
We
can
talk
about
coverage.
I
want
to
talk
about
coverage
and
quality
of
care,
because
the
two
go
hand
in
hand.
This
gives
us
the
ability
to
provide
a
higher
quality
of
care.
M
M
O
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
I
probably
won't
be
as
articulate
as
as
the
last
two
speakers
when
I
speak
of
this.
I
want
to
go
on
the
record,
though
right
off
the
bat
that
I
think
tenncare
does
god's
work
yeah
what
they
do
over
there.
It's
a
difficult
program
they
take.
They
take
care
of
the
least
of
us,
and
I
I
want
to
make
sure
that
my
comments
or
my
concerns
are
not
directed
at
tenncare.
It's
at
a
policy,
so
I
want
to
make
that
up
front.
O
What
he's
referring
to
is
title
19
in
the
social
security
act,
section
1903
a1,
and
what's
that,
what
that
is
is
the
formula
and
what
it
says
is
that
when
the
state
spends
money,
the
federal
government
will
match
it,
and
this
happened
in
the,
and
this
is
happening
right
now.
So
it's
the
what
it
is:
the
neutrality
formula
and
they're
bringing
it
down
and
it's
there.
O
O
O
O
O
Representative
wendell
was
my
suite
mate.
He
had
constituents
that
were
disenrolled
no
fault
of
their
own.
It's
just
it
was
a.
It
was
a
bureaucratic
issue,
and
the
irony
is
that
we
saved
money
on
that
the
past
few
years
because
they
were
disenrolled
and
now
we're
going
to
recoup
retro
money
because
they
weren't
enrolled.
It
was
no
fault
of
their
own,
and
my
question
I
guess
moving
forward
would
be
about
some
of
the
issues
of
the
re
determination
that
I
think
are
still
out
there.
O
Those
are
my
three
concerns
and
and
to
briefly
discuss
the
timing
issue
that
chairman
zachary
eloquently
said
as
well.
I
don't
question
that
the
negotiations
were
rushed.
They
were
not
two
years
is
a
long
time.
It
started
as
a
block
grant
and
it
ended
up
his
aggregated
agri,
aggregated
cap
savings
program,
which
was
different.
O
O
I
don't
have
that
luxury.
I
have
to
go
through
and
read
it
myself
and
I've
come
up
with
several
concerns,
and
then
I
have
to
look
at
what's,
I'm
gonna
have
to
go
on
because
it's
gonna
pass
and
I'm
gonna
have
to
go
on
hope
and
faith,
and
I'm
not
sure
I
have
that
much
in
future
administrations
that
I
don't
know
about
yet.
O
O
In
our
chamber,
we
do
not
have
the
political
will
to
make
such
changes
in
2015,
ensure
tennessee
was
put
up
by
governor
haslam
and
we
didn't
have
the
political
will
to
make
the
fixes
and
changes
then.
So
I
can't
say
and
and
and
speaker
leader.
I
hope
you
all
are
never
in
a
super
minority.
It's
not,
I
don't
think
any
party
should
be
ever
in
a
super
minority.
It's
not
healthy,
but
if
you
are,
you
realize
that
the
other
parts
of
the
body
can
do
business
without
you
and
so
political
will
becomes
one-sided.
O
So
those
are
my
concerns
and
I
want
to
say
this.
I
want
to
wrap
this
up
with
this.
If
this
is
not
overturned
by
the
body
administration
and
this
program
survives
the
courts,
I
will
do
everything
in
my
power
to
make
sure
that
this
program
succeeds
because
it's
good
for
tennesseans.
We
need
to
make
it
the
best,
it's
what
we'll
have
and
we
have
to
take
care
of
our
folks,
but
with
the
concerns
that
I
have,
I
will
not
be
able
to
support
the
bill.
E
Thank
you,
my
friend,
and
I
do
mean
that
we've
worked
on
many
issues
together
and
again.
I
I
respect
your
perspective
on
it
and
you
have
almost
a
unique
perspective
when
dealing
with
these
type
of
issues
and
I've
come
to
you
many
times
and
asked
questions
about
how
we
can
better
serve
certain
populations
within
our
state,
and
I
know
you've
spent
an
enormous
amount
of
time
and
thought
and
consideration
on
this-
I
I
will
say
so.
E
Our
state
share
is
just
over
four
billion
dollars
and
the
trend
lines
on
how
we're
running
the
ten
care
program.
We
are
spending
state
dollars
and
joining
with
our
federal
partners
to
effectuate
this
program.
It
is
a
shared
program
between
the
federal
government
and
the
state
government,
so
we're
both
in
putting
dollars
into
this
program
and
what
the
the
bulk
of
this
shared
savings
plan
is
is
that
we
are
simply
running
it
according
to
the
actuarial
tables
and
the
trend
lines
better
than
other
states
are,
so
it
is
costing
less
federal
money
for
our
program.
E
We've
not
been
able
to
take
advantage
of
that.
In
years
past
we've
just
put
the
4
billion
plus
into
the
program.
We
now
can
use
that
money.
Those
savings
that
are
already
there,
with
no
reduction
of
benefits,
no
reduction
in
services
and,
in
fact,
increases
in
those
as
those
share
savings
continue
to
come
in.
E
If
we
don't
change
anything
about
the
way,
the
team
care
program
is
being
run
right
now
and
then
there's
opportunities
to
try
to
run
it
even
more
efficiently
again
with
no
captive
benefits,
no
capital
services
and
what's
really
unique
about
this,
and
it's
the
reason
it's
not
a
block
grant.
As
dr
terry
said,
I
mean
it
simply
isn't
it
is
a
unique
tennessee
plan
and
while
that
may
make
some
uncomfortable
it,
tennessee
has
led
in
so
many
efforts
over
the
years
that
have
worked.
E
This
is
our
opportunity
to
lead
the
nation
again
in
a
shared
savings
program.
I
will
also
and
reiterate
this,
and
I
did
with
with
another
one
of
our
colleagues
yesterday.
I
do
believe
the
medical
necessity
language
needs
to
be
looked
at
in
the
statute.
I
think
that's
a
conversation
we
all
need
to
have.
That
is
our
decision,
and
this
waiver
will
only
strengthen
our
ability
to
be
able
to
make
that
decision
on
this
floor
not
have
to
beg
the
feds
for
the
opportunity
to
be
able
to
make
those
determinations.
E
That
is
a
healthy
process
where
we
are
looking
at
the
10
care
population,
each
individual
in
their
individual
circumstances,
to
determine
whether
or
not
they
are
still
eligible
for
the
program.
The
reason
we
got
into
a
problem
there
is
because
that
eligibility
process
that
again
ensures
that
the
funds
are
there
for
folks
that
should
be
eligible
for
the
program
to
ensure
that
that
deb's
waiting
list
is
shorter.
You
don't
want
folks
on
tenncare
that
should
not
and
are
not
eligible
for
tenncare.
E
You
want
folks
on
tin
care
that
are
actually
eligible,
but
for
a
couple
of
years,
and
as
one
of
my
colleagues
said
earlier
now
we're
back
in
a
freeze
because
of
a
variety
of
issues
that
program
gets
frozen
from
time
to
time,
so
the
tenncare
roles
swell
with
individuals
that
sometimes
are
actually
no
longer
eligible
for
a
variety
of
reasons
that
you're
very
well
aware
of
so
we
that
process
is
one
that
we
should
go
through
now.
It's
a
process
that
needs
to
be
improved.
It
should
be
very
easy
for
people.
E
It
should
be
very
simple
for
folks,
and
there
should
never
be
a
time
where
somebody
who
is
eligible
is
removed
from
the
ten
care
roles.
That's
a
process.
We
need
to
do
better,
and
I
think
you-
and
I
would
agree
on
that.
But
it
is
a
process
that
should
happen
if
you're
no
longer
eligible
to
be
on
tenncare.
You
should
not
be
on
tenncare
and
that
clears
room
for
those
those
other
individuals
that
are
eligible.
E
So
the
other
thing
I'll
just
reference,
just
real
quick,
is
that
you
know
this
body
has
worked
on
waivers
before
this
body.
I
was
very
proud
in
a
bipartisan
fashion,
led
on
the
katie
beckett
waiver.
Now
other
states
have
have
adopted
that
beforehand,
and
that
was
a
tried
and
true
model,
but
that
helped
every
single
tennessean
within
those
families
where
those
children
that
are
just
the
absolute
most
fragile
health
circumstances.
E
We
can
succeed
in
this
too,
but
the
biggest
thing
this
does
is
it
puts
the
ball
in
your
court
to
make
the
decisions
here,
instead
of
asking
the
federal
government
how
we're
going
to
run
this
program,
we
join
with
them
in
this
program
to
reinvest
shared
savings
to
the
benefit
of
that
population
that
you
and
I
both
desperately
want
to
help
better
than
we
are
today.
Thank
you,
sir.
A
O
Just
real
briefly,
I
don't
disagree
with
a
lot
what
you
just
said
in
regard
to
the
redetermination.
It's
absolutely
crucial.
I
agree
with
that.
I
think
the
problem
was
not
to
the
fault
of
the
person
who
was
eligible,
who
qualified
it
was
on
tenncare's
end
of
what
was
going
on
that
disenrolled
them
and
those
were
the
issues
that
I
wanted
to
make
sure
we're
still
in
place
and
where
we
are
in
redetermination
right
now.
That
was
all
I
was
saying,
I'm
for
that
part
of
it,
but
thank
you,
mr
speaker.
I
yield
the
four
back.
P
P
That
situation
is
far
away,
and
many
of
us
may
not
remember
it,
but
today
this
is
the
same
program.
Once
good
conservative,
fiscally
responsible
and
prudent
policies
came
into
play.
It
is
now
a
reliable
program
that
our
tennesseans,
who
need
it
during
their
circumstances,
can
depend
on,
and
things
have
improved
tremendously.
P
P
P
My
hope
is
that
this
will
give
us
one
to
two
years
of
work
that
we
can
run
this
program
well,
we
can
generate
savings
and
use
them
in
good,
prudent
way
and
prove
to
the
administration
and
to
the
rest
of
the
country
that
tennessee
has
a
better
way
to
do
it.
In
fact,
we
have
proven
that
when
it
comes
to
fiscal
responsibility
to
become
fiscally
the
most
sound
state
in
the
country,
our
next
hope
and
achievement
should
be
that
we
are.
P
D
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
and
I
got
I
guess
a
couple
of
questions.
Maybe
one
question
one
statement,
but
my
understanding
for
over
50
years
medicaid
has
been
financed
through
a
federal
state
matching
arrangement.
If
a
state
spends
money
on
eligible
enrollees
to
pay
for
covered
services,
the
federal
government
matches
the
state
spending
at
a
predetermined
rate.
In
tennessee.
The
federal
government
pays
for
about
two-thirds
of
the
cost
of
the
ten-care
program.
The
basic
open-ended
matching
arrangement
is
codified
in
u.s
law,
sections,
1903
and
1905
of
the
social
security
act.
D
The
reason
this
matters
is
because,
under
section
115
of
the
social
security
act,
the
secretary's
waiver
authority
is
limited
to
provisions
in
section
1902..
The
trump
administration
does
not
have
the
authority
to
waive
sections
of
1903
or
1905
period.
Cms
does
not
have
the
authority
to
waive
federal
law.
The
state
of
tennessee
does
not
have
the
authority
to
waive
the
federal
law.
Only
the
u.s
congress
can
change.
A
E
D
Thank
you.
It's
certainly
the
understanding
of
a
lot
of
folks
out
there,
a
lot
of
medicaid
experts
out
there
and
that's
what
they
have
related
to
me.
They're
concerned
that
this
is
not
a
law
that
it
is
a
lawsuit
one
more
thought
about:
the
medicaid
block
grant
waiver.
It
is
irresponsible
for
tennessee
to
push
a
waiver
that
will
only
waste
time
and
tax
dollars
right
now.
This
legislation
is
throwing
tennessee's
health
care
system
into
chaos.
This
legislation
is
creating
confusion
and
uncertainty
among
beneficiaries
and
health
providers
alike.
D
We
know
this
legislation
will
reduce
pharmacy
benefits
for
hundreds
of
thousands
of
patients
and
pharmacies.
We
know
this
legislation
does
nothing
to
boost
payments
to
providers
who
are
getting
shortchanged.
Our
health
care
system
has
been
stressed
to
its
breaking
point
by
this
pandemic,
and
this
legislature
should
not
be
rushing
to
completely
overhaul
a
health
care
system.
In
such
uncertain
times,
I've
received
many
messages
from
constituents
against
the
bloc
grants.
I
have
none
in
support.
D
We
have
refused
over
6
billion
the
last
8
years
that
would
have
expanded
coverage
for
300
000
tennesseans,
because
many
in
this
body
just
didn't
trust
it.
Yet
we're
willing
to
pass
an
experimental
program
that
makes
no
guarantees
about
expanding
coverages
coverage
to
tennesseans,
who
desperately
need
it,
especially
in
a
pandemic.
D
Tennesseans
have
been
waiting
eight
years
for
coverage,
they
could
have
had
we're
now
asking
them
to
wait
longer,
because
maybe
we
might
be
able
to
get
more
people
covered
in
a
few
years.
What
I
heard
from
our
our
own
department
was,
I
feel
certain
that
or
we
are
hopeful,
but
I
never
heard
a
promise
that
in
the
next
year
we
can
add
one
hundred
thousand
tennesseans
to
the
rolls
in
the
second
year.
We
can
add
another
hundred
thousand
tennesseans.
That's
what
we
need
to
be
hearing.
E
Thank
you
for
your
comments
and
I
disagree
with
virtually
all
of
them.
That
is
not
what
this
program
does,
but
I
appreciate
your
comments
and
I
will
say
that
I
can
assure
you
and
guarantee
you
that
this
program,
if
adopted,
will
include
additional
resources
to
improve
health
outcomes
for
tennesseans
on
tenncare.
It
is
a
guarantee.
J
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
You
know,
there's
a
reason
that
tennessee
has
this
opportunity
a
unique
opportunity,
and
that's
because
we
have
proven
that
we
can
manage
our
dollars.
Well,
we've
proven
that
throughout
the
state
government
not
just
with
tenncare,
but
other
states
might
have
sought
this
sort
of
deal,
but
they
know
they're
not
going
to
get
it
because
they
don't
have
the
proven
track
record
that
tennessee
does
that's.
J
This
brings
this
money
to
the
state
level
to
manage.
It
will
allow
us
to
look
at
things
in
rural
tennessee
in
chattanooga.
The
needs
are
very
different
and
it
will
give
us
that
flexibility,
one
of
the
things
that,
for
those
of
you
who've,
been
here
very
long.
You
know
that
I
am
incredibly
passionate
about
dids
are
developmentally
disabled.
J
We
have
over
four
thousand
people
on
a
waiting
list
right
now
that
are
eligible
for
services.
This
will
allow
us
the
flexibility
to
begin
to
move
people
off
that
waiting
list
onto
the
active
roles
for
getting
services
that
they
need
and
they
deserve.
They
are
truly
the
least
of
us.
Those
are
the
folks
that
we
are
called
to
care,
for
this
grant
will
provide
for
us
as
tennessee
legislature
the
ability
to
serve
our
citizens
better.
That's
what
we're
elected
to
do.
That's
why
we're
here
and
I
urge
you
all
to
support
it
believe
in
us.
J
J
Yes,
he
was
all
about
you,
don't
take
non-recurring
dollars
and
spend
them
for
recurring
expenses,
but
he
was
also
about.
Let's
look
at
the
money
and
let's
do
what's
best
for
tennessee.
He
would
be
voting
yes
on
this
bill.
I
have
no
doubt
so
in
honor
of
charles
sargent.
I
will
be
voting.
I
and
I
ask
that
you
do
the
same.
Thank
you.
G
Love.
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
I
just
want
to
ask
a
question
of
the
bill's
sponsor
and
I'm
reading.
From
a
letter
dated
january,
the
8th
2021
from
the
department
of
human
health
and
human
services
from
the
administrator
to
stephen
smith,
director
of
tenncare
on
page
well
I'll,
just
read
the
page
three.
G
With
this
approval,
the
components
of
tenncare2
demonstration
will
now
operate
under
a
new
section.
1115
demonstration,
title
10k,
3,
with
new
flexibilities
and
financing
structure
described
below
many
aspects
of
tenncare2,
will
continue
in
tenncare
iii
demonstration
except
the
authority
for
payments
for
graduate
medical
education.
G
G
I
have
concerns.
My
concerns
may
not
be
well
placed,
but
when
I
read
a
letter
from
hhs
saying
that
payments
will
not
continue
for
graduate
medical
education,
these
are
the
dollars.
I
believe
that
go
to
pay
for
doctors
to
go
to
medical
school,
and
so
I'm
concerned
now
help
me
understand.
What's
going
on
with
that,
please.
E
E
In
june
of
this
year
we
tried
and
tenncare
on
our
behalf,
tried
to
negotiate
the
program
you're
talking
about
and
that
I
deeply
believe
in,
and
so
do
you
and
there's
many
members
on
this
floor
that
supported
additional
payments
into
that
program
before
we
tried
to
get
it
inserted
into
this
and,
quite
frankly,
the
federal
government
considers
that
a
separate
discussion,
a
separate
negotiation,
and
they
would
not
allow
us
to
include
that
within
this.
That
is
still
a
fight
that
we
need
to
win.
That
is
still
a
negotiation
that
10
karen.
E
Our
behalf
is
deeply
involved
with
the
federal
government
in
and
is
one
that
we
have
to
get
resolved
before
it
were
to
expire
into
june.
They
simply
would
not
allow
us
to
insert
it
into
this
particular
waiver.
It's
a
separate
waiver,
it's
a
separate
program
and
I
really
appreciate
you
bringing
it
up,
because
it's
one
that
everybody
in
this
room
needs
to
be
concerned
about
and
needs
to
be
pressuring
our
federal
counterparts
to
continue
that
negotiation.
So
we
get
it
resolved
or
there
will
not
be
new
doctors
coming
out
of
the
state
of
tennessee.
G
Thank
you.
I
know
that
program
is
millions
of
dollars
that
go
again
toward
training
our
medical
professions
in
tennessee.
I
have
deep
concerns
again
for
that,
because
I
know
the
work
that
our
schools
do.
Is
there
any
idea
of
how
much
we're
talking
about
and
that
that
that's
not
being
included
again.
E
Lear
lambert
again,
this
waiver,
a
minute,
multiple
different
waivers
out
there
we're
constantly
pursuing
waivers
from
the
federal
government,
because
it's
a
shared
program
with
them
this
program.
There
is
nothing
in
this
resolution
that
affects
that
negotiation.
That
waiver
again,
we
attempted
to
do
so
and
join
those
negotiations
together,
say:
look,
we've
got
a
negotiation
on
this
waiver
and
with
this
one
let's
join
those
together.
They
specifically
excluded
it,
and
so
the
entirety
of
that
program
is
excluded
from
this
negotiation
and
it's
a
separate
negotiation.
G
Thank
you
speaker,
one
more
question.
If
I
could-
and
this
is
from
page
six
of
that
same
letter-
uncompensated
care
pools,
this
demonstration
will
allow
the
state
to
control
the
amount
of
uncompensated
care
funding
for
hospitals
and
develop
the
distribution
methodology
for
their
virtual,
disproportionate
share
hospital
and
uncompensated
charity
care
pools
under
the
aggregate
cap.
Without
prior
approval
from
cms,
the
state
will
have
the
flexibility
to
implement
a
methodology
that
will
align
with
moving
towards
a
value-based
model
to
promote
value
over
volume
of
services.
G
G
G
They
then
forward
that
report
to
the
state
government
state
government
then
forwards
that
report
to
the
federal
government.
Then
a
reimbursement
is
sent
back
to
make
those
hospitals
whole.
My
concern
is
that
it's
oftentimes
a
lot
of
volume
but
page
six
says
that
our
model
will
be
based
on
value
over
volume.
G
So
what
happens
when
we
have
a
cap
and
we
reach
that
cap
and
then
someone
shows
up
at
erlanger.
Someone
shows
up
at
region,
one
someone
shows
up
at
metro,
general
and
all
of
a
sudden
we've
reached
our
cap
of
uncompensated
care
dollars.
What
happens
to
that
hospital
when
that
cap
is
reached?
And
now
the
state
says?
Well,
listen,
we've
reached
our
cap
and
I'm
sorry
memphis.
You
got
to
pay
for
it.
Chattanooga
you
got
to
pay
for
it
nashville
you
got
to
pay
for
it
because
the
state
has
reached
its
cap.
G
We
have
no
more
money.
We
cannot
go
to
the
federal
government
and
ask
for
more
money
because
we've
reached
our
cap
of
uncompensated
care
dollars,
and
so
I'm
just
concerned
about
that
piece
there,
because
I
don't
want
us
to
get
to
the
place
where
we
cannot
serve
a
population
that,
unfortunately,
for
whatever
reason
does
not
have
insurance,
for
whatever
reason,
maybe
can't
pay
for
insurance.
Maybe
they
got
furloughed
in
this
pandemic.
G
Maybe
they
got
their
business
shut
down,
but
now
they
don't
have
insurance
and
now,
if
they
show
up
at
metro
general
erlanger
region,
one
we
say,
I'm
sorry
but
you're
gonna
get
a
bill
and
then
the
hospital
has
also
beat
that
cost.
Then
the
state
government
says
we
can't
reimburse
the
local
gun
because
now
we're
at
our
cap
and
the
city
has
to
eat
that
cost.
So
I
just
want
to
bring
that
point
up
and
again
I
may
have
misinterpreted
what
it
says.
G
E
A
E
To
my
esteemed
colleague,
I
don't
think
you're
reading
it
wrong.
It's
just
you
didn't
read
the
entire
paragraph.
I
mean
the
additional
portion
of
the
paragraph,
including
the
last
sentence
says.
The
virtual
dsh
will
also
have
a
maintenance
of
effort
at
the
level
which
that
was
in
place
in
demonstration
year,
19
in
10
care
2..
So
basically
what
it
does.
E
It
freezes
the
cap
at
that
level
and
we
can't
go
below
it,
but
we
can
certainly
go
above
it
and
it
gives
us
that
flexibility
to
do
so,
so
I
mean
it,
but
because
of
the
latter
part
of
that
paragraph
from
my
understanding,
that's
what
that
does
it
says
you?
You
cannot
reduce
that
payment
that
that's
there
so
that,
but
you
can
certainly
go
up.
You
can't
go
down.
That's
at
least
my
interpretation
and
my
reading
of
it.
G
C
C
I
was
part
of
the
vetting
in
2019
and
we've
got
many
many
hours
talking
about
the
savings
plan.
But
what
I
want
to
talk
about
right
now
is
I've
heard
people.
I've
heard
representatives
said
no
they're
not
going
to
vote
for
that
this
and
that's
okay,
but
the
next
line
he
said,
but
I
will,
if
it's
voted
for
work
hard
for
my
constituents
to
make
this
successful
to
me.
That's
a
win-win
for
us
all,
but
I
just
want
to
give
some
numbers
out.
C
So
I
will
be
voting
for
this.
I've
looked
at
this
for
the
last
two
years.
I
think
it's
a
good
thing.
I
think
it's
a
great
thing
that
tennessee
is
leading
this
charge
and
I
know
tennessee
will
stand
up
and
her
tenncare
department
will
make
it
successful
along
with
you
guys-
and
I
appreciate
for
your
time.
E
H
H
I'm
not
doubting
that
the
state.
Thank
you
for
your
answer.
I'm
not
doubting
that
the
state
will
not
make
saving
dollars
a
priority
and
be
able
to
brag
about
the
same.
I
am
concerned
that
the
state
has
not
through
any
of
the
documents
or
testimony
that
I've
been
able
to
listen
to.
I
have
not
seen
that
timeline
with
dollars
cents
number
of
people.
So
that's
what
I'm
trying
to
get
from
the
the
leader.
If
you
have
that
fine,
if
you
don't,
I
sure
would
like
to
get
it
at
a
later
date.
E
E
Those
savings
are
happening
now
and
will
continue
to
happen.
We
are
below
trend
lines
on
the
nation
and
are
running
this
program
more
efficiently.
Right
now,
we
just
don't
have
a
waiver
that
allows
us
the
flexibility
to
use
those
savings.
The
priorities
for
the
program
are
to
improve
maternal
health
coverage
to
serve
additional
needy
populations,
to
clear
the
wait
list
for
services
for
individuals
with
intellectual
and
developmental
disabilities
and
to
address
state-specific
health
crises.
That's
the
top
four
priorities
of
this
program.
E
Nowhere
listed
in
any
presentation
you've
given
is
the
goal
of
doing
anything
else
for
additional
savings.
Now,
if
we
do
those
things
well
and
we
improve
health
benefits
and
outcomes
for
tennesseans,
we
save
even
more
those
tennesseans
are
healthier,
and
then
we
get
to
reinvest
those
into
the
program
and
own
and
on
and
on
for
a
literal
better
tomorrow
for
the
population
that
you
are
attempting
to
help
and
that
we
are
attempting
to
help.
I
ask
that
you
join
us
in
doing
so,
sir.
H
H
I
just
want
you
to
trust
me
that
we're
going
to
save
money
by
providing
services
and
efficiencies
and
reinvesting
those
services
and
efficiencies
in
a
way
that's
going
to
include
everybody
that
needs
health
care.
You
haven't
told
me
that
I
haven't
heard
it
from
any
of
the
the
other
witnesses
or
nor
the
representatives
who
testified
and
because
of
that,
I'm
not
comfortable
with
this.
H
H
Why
can't
the
state
of
tennessee
make
that
commitment
to
prioritize
the
health
care
needs
for
those
individuals?
We
know
how
it
impacts.
The
economy,
we
know
how
it
impacts
schools,
we
know
how
it
impacts
jobs,
whether
it's
businesses
that
are
looking
to
relocate
in
tennessee
or
whether
it's
the
health
care
that
will
enable
an
individual
to
be
prepared,
whether
mentally
or
physically,
to
accept
or
seek
employment.
E
E
E
Past
performance
measures
than
virtually
anything
we've
talked
about
in
those
areas,
and
so
you
don't
have
to
hope
you
don't
have
to
guess.
You
literally
just
have
to
look
at
all
of
the
information
that's
been
provided
and
it
is
a
statistical
guarantee
that
it
will
provide
additional
resources
for
better
health
outcomes
with
no
reductions
whatsoever.
H
Representative
hardaway,
thank
you,
mr
speaker
and
the
leader,
and
I
will
will
have
to
disagree
on
whether
that
performance
has
performances
predictive
of
outcomes
here.
When
I
don't
have
those
numbers,
I
don't
have
that
evidence.
I
don't
have
the
numerical
evidence
the
empirical
evidence
to
tell
me
that
my
people
will
be
taken
care
of.
I
want
to
address
just
a
couple
more
things
speaker
and
then
I'm
going
to
relinquish
the
microphone.
H
H
I
I
Nothing
in
our
current
tenncare
program
changes.
While
we
gain
flexibility
on
spending
an
additional
amount
of
our
own
federal
tax
dollars.
In
a
way
we
choose
to
spend
it
to
gain
better
health
outcomes
for
our
most
needy
neighbors.
I
think
all
of
us
are
concerned
about
that,
but
this
answers
that
question
and
we
have
a
deadline.
I
If
you
read
the
16-page
letter
that
came
with
this
proposal,
it
has
a
deadline,
and
if
we
do
not
pass
this
today,
then
that
deadline
will
expire
before
we
have
the
opportunity
to
act.
So
I
implore
you
to
support
this
legislation
for
that
most
vulnerable
population
that
we
all
care
for.
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,.
F
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
I
just
had
a
couple
comments.
I'll
be
brief.
I
don't
want
to
hold
up
the
floor
too
much
longer,
but
we're
here
to
take
care
of
business,
and
I
understand
that
and
to
take
care
of
the
business
of
the
people,
and
I
it
seems
that
in
doing
that
and
taking
care
of
the
business
of
the
people,
we're
forgetting
about
the
people,
and
I
keep
hearing
a
lot
of
numbers
about
savings
and
cost
cutting,
but
we
have
to
remember
that
there
are
lives
here
at
state
now.
F
I
believe
everyone
here
on
this
floor
thinks
every
tennessean
should
have
a
health
care
plan.
As
we
do,
we
want
to
make
sure
that
they're
taken
care
of
you
know
we
have
a
duty
to
make
sure
to
get
this
right
now.
We
should
use
this
time
to
come
together
and
propose
some
legislation
that
takes
care
of
the
most
basic
need
and
right,
it's
healthcare
for
every
tennessean.
F
With
this
explanation,
you
know
I
do
oppose
this,
this
legislation
and
there's
a
couple
I
just
want
to
make
sure.
I
think
that
we,
I
think
I
have
to
answer
to
this-
that
there
will
be
with
the
savings.
There
will
be
an
investment
that
goes
back
into
the
healthcare
program,
but
I
think
it
goes
back
into
the
quality
and
not
the
quantity.
But
we
are
tasked
to
make
sure
that
both
occur
here
in
tennessee.
F
So
I
want
to
make
sure
that
this
plan
is
a
good
plan
and,
as
the
representative
said
before,
whatever
paths
we'll
make
sure
that
we
work
hard
to
make
sure
it's
the
right
for
all
tennesseans.
But
we
want
to
make
sure
all
tennesseans
have
access
to
quality
health
care.
And
thank
you,
mr
speaker
and
mr
leader
for
listening
to
me.
E
Famous
speaker
and
thank
you
chairman
for
your
comments,
I
just
don't
know
the
way
to
say
it.
This
is
that
opportunity
I
mean
it
literally
is
for
us
to
be
able
to
help
more
tennesseans
in
a
better
way.
I
should
have
said
this
earlier,
but
I
shared
a
little
family
news
right
now.
My
little
sister
just
had
a
child
about
five
weeks
early.
We
welcome
little
mckinley
in
the
world.
E
This
program
right
here
can
literally
help
hundreds,
if
not
thousands
and
above
mothers
and
new
babies
to
get
better
coverage
and
better
services,
there's
just
nothing
bad
about
that.
It's
an
opportunity
to
take
advantage
of
to
try
to
do
that.
We
have
a
waiting
list
right
now
of
adults
with
developmental
disabilities
like
a
cousin
of
mine-
and
I
tell
this
because
look-
this-
is
my
family
cheer
family?
It's
all
of
our
families
and
our
constituents
and
our
friends
and
our
neighbors.
This
is
that
chance
to
help
them.
E
I
have
a
cousin
that
has
developmental
disabilities,
severe
developmental
disabilities.
This
program
can
help
folks,
like
him,
and
so
many
others
to
get
off
that
wait
list
for
the
that
occur.
That
is
and
present
right
now.
So
this
is
that
opportunity.
I
know
it's
not
the
expansion
that
most
in
your
caucus
are
looking
for.
I
get
that
it's
not
that
waiver.
E
This
is
a
different
program,
but
this
is
an
opportunity
that
we
should
all
take
advantage
of
for
our
constituents
and
for
those
folks,
like
young
mothers
and
like
and
like
newborn
babies
and
like
those
that
are
disabled,
to
have
an
opportunity
for
better
health
care.
So
again,
I
ask
that
you
support
this
and
everyone
else,
but
I
respect
that.
I
know
that
not
everyone
will.
Thank
you,
sir.
Q
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
I'm
not
sure
if
we're
at
a
point
where
he
can
put
a
cap
on
the
conversation,
but
I'd
like
to
try
just
about
every
state
in
the
country
would
love
to
have
this
opportunity
before
them.
Every
state,
every
governor,
every
state
legislature
is
looking
at
their
health
system
budget
right
now
saying.
How
can
we
get
more
flexibility
within
our
health
care
system?
How
can
we
tap
into
more
of
those
federal
dollars
that
our
taxpayers
send
up
to
washington,
but
we
don't
get
back.
Q
Q
Q
Both
sides
of
the
aisle
have
talked
about
how
well
managed
the
program.
It
is
what
we
can
be
sure
of-
and
we've
heard
this
as
well-
is
that
this
negotiated
deal
will
do
nothing
to
decrease
current
coverage
for
our
enrollees
on
tent
care.
Now,
I'll
reiterate,
no
reduction
in
people
served
no
reduction
to
benefits,
no
reduction
to
provider
rates,
no
reductions
to
program,
quality
or
access.
That's
part
of
the
negotiated
deal
that's
in
there,
so
that's
a
baseline,
that's
where
we
are
right
now.
Q
When
I
first
got
here
serving
the
general
assembly,
roughly
one
out
of
six
tennesseans
was
on
tenncare
at
that
time,
six
million
tennesseans,
roughly
one
million
individuals
on
the
tenncare
rolls
a
couple
years
after
I
got
here.
We
were
at
a
very
difficult
financial
time
where
91
cents
of
every
new
taxpayer
dollar
coming
into
the
state
of
tennessee
91
cents
of
every
new
revenue
dollar
coming
in
the
state
of
tennessee,
was
being
eaten
up
by
tenncare.
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
A
C
A
A
H
A
I
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
I
wanted
to
say
that
this
week,
early
this
week,
every
member
had
a
chance
to
propose
rule
changes.
We
had
about
20
to
25
change
proposals
brought
to
our
committee
and
since
this
was
not
done
in
the
proper
manner,
I
make
a
motion
that
this
comes
to
the
rules
committee
for
further
consideration.
A
H
H
Meeting
mass
must
be
promptly
replaced
up
on
the
conclusion
of
a
member's
remarks.
Mass
may
be
removed
while
eating
and
drinking
and
that
the
discretion
of
the
member
in
the
member's
office,
when
appropriate
social
distancing
can
be
observed.
Mr
speaker,
I
look
forward
to
presenting
to
the
rules
committee
and
I
invite
all
of
my
colleagues
to
support
this
rule
when
it
makes
it
back
to
the
floor
of
the
house
chambers.
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
A
E
C
A
E
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
and
with
explanation
in
consultation
with
the
minority
leader.
Hjr
37
allows
for
a
joint
convention
of
the
senate
and
the
house
on
monday
february,
the
8th
at
5
45
central
standard
time
in
war
memorial
auditorium
for
hearing
the
state
of
the
state
address
by
the
honorable
governor
bill
lee,
and
then
the
next
resolution,
we'll
be
doing
a
moment,
deals
with
our
adjournment
until
february
the
8th
at
4
p.m.
So
those
are
the
two
housekeeping
matters
that
we're
taking
of
taking
care
of
right.
A
E
A
E
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
and
with
this
this
is
the
adjournment
resolution
that
will
say
that
we're
adjourned
until
february
the
8th
2021
at
4
pm
members.
I
would
like
to
remind
you,
though,
that
we
are
back
next
week
for
a
special
session
and
by
the
way,
during
that
time
period
of
the
adjournment
please
file
any
bills
that
you
would
want
to
have
considered,
because
the
bill
finally
deadline
will
be
shortly.
Thereafter.
With
that,
mr
speaker,
I
move
adoption
of
hdr
number
37.
A
New
lamborth
moves
adoption
house
joint,
oh
38,
38.,
38.,
literally
from
this
option
house
joint
resolution
38
properly.
Second,
in
objection
to
the
question
scene:
none
all
those
in
favor
of
house
joint
resolution,
38,
say
those
posts
say
no.
I
hear
about
declare
adopters
objection.
The
motion
reconsiders
table.
E
Thank
you,
mr
speaker
and
members
speaking
of
the
special
session
next
week,
we'll
convene
tuesday,
I
believe
at
noon.
Mr
clerk
and
I
have
signed
on
sheets
for
any
of
the
bills
that
have
been
filed,
thus
far
that
you
might
be
interested
in
signing
onto
I'll
leave
those
in
the
front.
I've
made
every
effort
to
file
any
bills
that
I
would
like
considered
on
behalf
of
either
myself
and
administration
with
leader
gantt,
and
so
those
sign
up
sheets
will
be
up
front.
E
N
N
She
played
a
vital
role
in
the
development
and
success
of
the
state's
recovery
courts,
including
drug
courts,
veteran
courts,
mental
health
court,
safe
baby
courts
and
other
specialty
courts,
and
she
passed
away
unexpectedly
on
the
11th
of
this
month
at
too
early
at
a
point
in
her
life.
I
know
she
was
crucial
to
the
mental
health
court
in
rutherford
county
and
she
had
a
sincere
passion
for
the
recovery
courts
and
the
missions
of
providing
intensive
treatment
options
across
the
state
through
supervision
and
therapy.
K
K
I
had
several
folks
back
home
that
are
involved
with
the
drug
court,
speak
about
the
the
life
of
miss
alan
abbott
and
just
want
to
read
a
couple
of
quotes.
If
I
could
you
know
she
was
very
involved
in
mental
health
and
substance
abuse
made
a
difference
in
so
many
lives
folks,
so
many
lives
that
each
and
every
one
of
us
care
about
just
want
to
read
a
quote
from
judge
barry
tidwell
I'm.
I
was
extremely
sorry
to
hear
of
the
untimely
death
of
ellen
abbott.
K
K
I
did
not
know
of
anyone
who
has
done
had
more
passion
for
recovery
courts
and
the
mission
of
providing
intensive
treatment
of
opioids
through
supervision
and
therapy
than
ellen
here's.
Another
quote
from
miss
michelle
consiglio
young
tennessee
will
not
be
the
same
without
you
ellen.
Thank
you
for
all.
You
did
for
this
state.
Thank
you,
speaker.