Covering the uninsured through TennCare: does it make a difference?
Tennessee created TennCare in 1994 to address the needs of "poor and uninsured citizens ... excluded from the health care system." Under TennCare, Tennessee implemented managed care in its Medicaid program and used savings anticipated from the switch to expand insurance coverage to uninsured and uninsurable adults and children. Our analysis of the expansion suggests that it improved access to care, reduced unmet need, and encouraged use of preventive services, particularly for children. These changes coincided with higher levels of satisfaction with care among TennCare beneficiaries.
Moreno
L
L
Mathematica Policy Research, Princeton, New Jersey, USA.
Hoag
S D
SD
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008484:Medicaid / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017057:Medically Uninsured / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013221:State Health Plans / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013714:Tennessee / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States