Gov. Phil Bredesen Talks Long-Term Care Reform

Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen wants to make staying at home possible for more seniors.

It's part of his long-term health care reform plan.

He held a town hall meeting Tuesday in Chattanooga to talk about how it could improve life for our older generations and their caregivers...

For the last 15 years Sharron Watson has been a primary caregiver.

She is one of the group including social workers, and health care professionals to meet with Governor Phil Bredesen to talk about long-term health care reform.

The governor has proposed the Long-Term Care Community Choices Act of 2008.

He says it will improve the quality of life for many older people and it will be more cost effective, "Nursing homes are expensive because they are trying to provide a high level of care. If someone doesn't need that and you can provide the care less expensively then I can take the dollars that I have and make them go further."

TennCare spends $1.2 Billion a year on long term health care, almost that entire amount goes to nursing homes.

The governor's proposal includes giving people more options so they don't have to leave their homes, and do so without substantially increasing the long-term care budget.

Gov. Bredesen says, "There are a lot of people who need, they don't need the intensive services of a nursing home, if you give them a little help they can stay in their home."

The proposed legislation will streamline the process for those services either through TennCare or Medicaid.

St. Barnabas Senior Living Services President & CEO Erik Boston says, "Getting into the program can be very cumbersome and it can take a long time to do that."

The legislation will also designate one point of contact to coordinate services for those needing help.

Sharron Watson says that not only makes sense, but it will help ease anxiety for those needing services and for those trying to care for them.

Watson says, "You don't want to make a decision based on fear, you want to gather the proper information so that you can help make a decision based on what's good for your parent."

The AARP has endorsed the Long-Term Care Community Choices Act of 2008.

It must still pass the Tennessee General Assembly.