Grand Divisions podcast: Health Care Modernization Task Force, Politicon – Tennessean

Grand Divisions podcast: Health Care Modernization Task Force, Politicon  Tennessean

For months, reporters and healthcare advocacy groups have awaited details of Gov. Bill Lee’s “Health Care Modernization Task Force,” an initiative he announced at his first State of the State in early March.

From the outside, there appeared to be little movement on the formation of the group, or on details about what the task force would be setting out to accomplish.

Until now.

While details are still limited, Lee’s administration on Tuesday is releasing a report on what a team of nine state department commissioners learned during closed-door listening sessions they held around the state this summer with medical providers, patients and other industry stakeholders.

Following an op-ed published by The Tennessean on Sunday, Finance and Administration Commissioner Stuart McWhorter spoke with Grand Divisions on Monday about the goals of the 25-member task force, which is made up of physicians, nurses, medical industry executives and representatives from insurance companies and medical schools.

On this week’s episode, hear more from McWhorter about the task force, as well as a conversation between the hosts on last week’s Medicaid block grant public hearings.

As reported by USA TODAY Network in each city where sessions were held, the three-day listening tour brought zero positive comments about the proposal to convert TennCare, the state’s Medicaid program, to block grant funding model.

You’ll also hear an interview with Simon Sidi, the founder of Politicon, a national politics conference coming to Nashville the last weekend of October.

And as always, we will discuss the latest news in Tennessee politics and policy.

Related articles:

  • What we learned at Tennessee’s public hearings on the state’s Medicaid block grant proposal
  • Residents, advocates raise concerns over Tennessee’s Medicaid block grant proposal in first public hearing
  • Gov. Bill Lee says Medicaid block grant opponents ‘have not taken the time to really understand it’
  • Gov. Bill Lee’s administration has formed long-awaited ‘Health Care Modernization Task Force
  • Politicon set to make Music City debut later this month
  • How did $4 million for local grants make it into Tennessee’s state budget? Top lawmakers want answers.
  • Gov. Bill Lee appoints two members to commission that could take action on Nathan Bedford Forrest bust​​​​​​​

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Published 11:03 AM EDT Oct 8, 2019