State Senate to cut taxes instead of fully funding Medicaid waiver for disabled children

NASHVILLE — After speculation over whether the state Senate would agree to fund a Medicaid waiver program to provide medical treatment for disabled children, the upper chamber has announced its plan: Pay for part of it, while using additional funds to reduce the state's professional privilege tax.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally described it as "'a budget that does what conservatives do."

The House has committed in this year's budget to fully funding the $27 million Katie Beckett waiver program, which covers medical treatment for children with disabilities and severe illnesses whose families wouldn't otherwise qualify for TennCare, the state's Medicaid program.

But the Senate has raised an issue over the House's plan to use revenue from a newly implemented online sales tax in order to fund the Katie Beckett waiver.

Read more: https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/politics/2019/04/26/medicaid-tenncare-children-disabilities-tennessee-senate-budget/3581658002/