By: Sarah Grusin and Elizabeth Edwards
Executive Summary
Medicaid enrollees in Tennessee filed a lawsuit challenging the bureaucratic maze they have to navigate when trying to renew their Medicaid coverage under TennCare (Tennessee’s Medicaid program). The case, A.M.C. v. Smith, was brought by the National Health Law Program, Tennessee Justice Center, National Center for Law & Economic Justice, and pro bono counsel Selendy Gay Elsberg PLLC in 2020, with claims challenging TennCare’s notices, refusal to grant appeals, and the limited access to the program for people with disabilities.
With the end of the public health emergency, TennCare began Medicaid redeterminations and TennCare enrollees, including those with disabilities and chronic medical conditions, are now struggling to maintain their coverage.
In response to the state’s recent efforts to dismiss the case (in a filing known as a “Motion for Summary Judgment”), the Plaintiffs recently submitted new evidence, including stories from several TennCare enrollees describing the barriers they face to renewing their coverage during the unwinding.
This short explainer provides a brief overview of the case and highlights the harms caused by Tennessee’s Medicaid unwinding process. Learn more about this case and access legal documents here.
