Lawmakers move to put TennCare recipients to work

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – Tennessee lawmakers have passed a bill, requiring Tenn-Care recipients, under certain conditions, to work or perform community service.

The debate has raged for years before it finally went to lawmakers.

Republican State Senator Bo Watson says “what the requirement would say … able-bodied individuals who do not have dependent children 6 years of age or younger, need to be involved, either in employment or in community activity..volunteering, going to school.”

Democratic Representative Joanne Favors says “Most people want to work. But TNcare and other benefits …its not enough to justify a person not wanting to work. So I think we have to be extremely careful about that.”

Those two veteran’s of the General Assembly have vastly different views on how to handle the funding and requirements for the largest use of tax-payer money in the state of Tennessee–$11 billion a year.

Senator Watson says “One of the biggest complaints that we hear from people in my district is people who take advantage of the Tenncare system or really any government system. This just adds a measure of accountability and oversight, but again it would be dependent upon whether the Federal government gives Tennessee permission to do it or not.”

Rep. Favors adds “to just say this and think that people are using TennCare just because its there …you don’t get approved for TennCare, unless you really, really need it.”

Watson says the requirements would be the same as getting what used to be called food stamps.

He says most of the people on TennCare are children, pregnant women, low income women, disabled and the elderly.

Sen. Watson says “No body complains about that, people who need this assistance, we want them to get the assistance.”

Rep. Favors says “I’ve helped more young white males get TennCare than any other population. And they are really sick. When they come, and need some help, they are very sick. And when you are sick you can’t work.”

Watson says the senate is actually trying to stop people from “gaming the system.”