House GOP Review for 02/28/2008

By Tennessee Republicans | February 29, 2008 |

The House GOP Review is a weekly feature that gives Tennesseans an in-depth look at what our Republian state legislators have been working on this week, and a glimpse into what’s planned for the coming week at our state house. 

Lawmakers from the Senate and the House held a press conference this week to promote key healthcare proposals aimed at helping elderly and disabled Tennesseans receive more options in their healthcare, including staying in their homes for as long as possible.

The long term care legislation is part of a series of bills aiming to help citizens “age in place.” One bill, which has already passed the Senate health committee, calls for a pilot program that allows individual patients to choose from specific services that fit their needs and also allows them to choose who performs the tasks. Consumers would receive a monthly budget based on their needs, and could use the money to hire personal assistants, make home modifications, and more. Legislators stressed the importance of the legislation, saying that Tennessee should give its seniors more options with regards to home and community based care, noting that whereas some citizens need the 24 hour attention a nursing home can give them, others simply need an assistant to come to their home a few times a week to give them a bath, assist with medication, or perform other household tasks.

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