A woman from Lewis County, Tennessee was diagnosed with cancer and subsequently removed from TennCare. She is now struggling to find coverage to support her chemotherapy treatment.
Sandra Goff is not only dealing with physical and emotional struggles, but she is also facing a financial burden. She was diagnosed with Lymphoma and lung cancer, and just a few months after her diagnosis, she was removed from TennCare.
Goff adamantly refused the idea, stating “no, no, no” because the proposed end date of April 1st coincided with their scheduled surgery.
Goff is no longer eligible for TennCare due to an increase in her social security benefits at the beginning of the year. The reason for this change is that she now receives an amount that exceeds the maximum limit for eligibility.
Goff expressed that he earns $82 more than what is required.
According to KFF, individuals like Goff who don’t have dependent children and are no longer eligible for TennCare have very few coverage options. Nonetheless, there are some alternative plans available.
According to Jennifer Tolbert from KFF, Tennessee’s lack of adoption of the Medicaid expansion has resulted in a coverage gap for adults without dependent children. This means that there is currently no coverage available for this population.
What exactly is the solution people like Goff turn to?
Goff expressed her frustration with the situation, stating that when she contacted TennCare regarding the issue, they simply told her to inform them to bill her. According to Goff, the representatives advised her that once her medical bills accumulate to a significant amount, she can reapply for TennCare.
Her daughter is concerned about it being a burden.
Amy Jett, Goff’s daughter, expressed her concern about the daunting prospect of not only losing her mother but also having to deal with the overwhelming debt that would be left behind. She stated, “I will have to face the consequences of the astronomical amount of debt that would come my way.”
According to Goff, she will be undergoing chemo and immunotherapy treatments for the next year, and she hopes for a miraculous recovery.
WSMV4 is currently investigating the number of individuals who lost their insurance this year as a result of the increase in benefits. However, it is important to note that those who have been diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer were able to retain their coverage.
According to a representative from TennCare, the Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act of 2000 was passed by Congress, which permits states to provide access to treatment for individuals through the Medicaid program. In Tennessee, those who are eligible receive Medicaid benefits under the Breast or Cervical Cancer (BCC) Category of Eligibility (COE). It’s important to note that Congress has not created eligibility categories for other types of cancer.
