Federal Judge Rules in Favor of Plaintiffs Terminated from Medicaid - Articles

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Federal Judge Rules in Favor of Plaintiffs Terminated from Medicaid

Posted by: Jarod Word on Sep 12, 2024

A federal judge recently ruled in favor of Tennessee plaintiffs terminated from Medicaid who sued the state for failures in its eligibility processes. The lawsuit, A.M.C. v. Stephen Smith, contests the policies and practices of TennCare that “unlawfully deprive eligible children and adults of vitally necessary medical care” through “a defective process for the periodic reevaluation of the eligibility of individuals enrolled in TennCare,” among other claims. Federal District Court Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw said in his decision: "Poor, disabled and otherwise disadvantaged Tennesseans should not require luck, perseverance or zealous lawyering to receive health care benefits they are entitled to under the law.” Crenshaw maintains that while the organization’s leadership and frontlines "do admirable, diligent work,” organizations as large as TennCare can be “unwieldy, and, when improperly handled, have dire consequences for those they effect.” Clarence Carter, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Human Services said regarding the case, “There is always going to be a need for a rich, robust, efficient, effective safety net … It just ought to be catching people like a trampoline, not a hammock.” Tennessee remains one of 10 states yet to accept federal Medicaid expansion, leaving more than an estimated $2 billion in federal funding on the table. Crenshaw has ordered that the plaintiffs and state attempt mediation prior to the judge addressing the plaintiffs’ claims for relief. The Tennessee Lookout has more.