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Parents and advocates press committee to let Katie Beckett Part A use HRA‑style accounts; bill rolled for TennCare testimony
Summary
Witnesses urged the committee to allow a health reimbursement account option for families in Katie Beckett Part A so allocated home‑and‑community funds are easier to spend; committee agreed to roll HB 1158 one week to allow TennCare to respond to vendor and implementation concerns.
Representative Lillian Lynn told the Insurance Committee HB 1158 would require TennCare to take steps to offer a health reimbursement account (HRA) option for families enrolled in the state’s Katie Beckett Part A program so they can access home‑and‑community‑based services funds more easily.
Parents and disability advocates described barriers in the current design and asked lawmakers for an HRA option. Trevor Anima, a parent and full‑time caregiver, said the program has been “life changing” for his daughter but that bureaucratic “red tape” and vendor practices prevent families from using the full allotment: “We have not been able to use the full allotted funds every year … there’s too much bureaucratic red tape for us to be able to access those funds,” Anima said.
Jeff Strand, director of public policy for the Tennessee Disability Coalition, told the committee the fiscal note raises concerns about TennCare’s design and implementation of Part A. Strand said the general assembly authorized $25 million annually for the program and that TennCare set the HCBS allotment at $15,000 per child, but TennCare’s fiscal materials show enrolled families use an average of about $2,700 of that amount; Strand asked where the remainder is going.
Strand and Anima gave concrete examples they say demonstrate vendor upcharges and inefficient use of funds: Anima described a minor home modification for which raw materials were roughly $200 while a vendor quote exceeded $2,000, and he said families he tracks observe vendor markups “a minimum 40%” on approved purchases.
Committee members expressed concern and several asked for TennCare to testify. After discussion, the committee agreed without objection to roll HB 1158 for one week so TennCare can respond to implementation and fiscal questions.
HB 1158 remains under committee consideration pending follow‑up testimony from TennCare and stakeholder discussions.
