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TPCA has compiled a list of the State Representatives, State Senators and Members of Congress representing each TPCA member health center. The list includes district address, Nashville/Washington address, and e-mail for each Tennessee representative. Click on the name of your health center to access this information.

TPCA Legislative 2007 Agenda

Tennessee Primary Care Association (TPCA) and our member community health centers will be working closely with the Legislature and the Bredesen Administration on important health care issues during this legislative session.

Our legislative agenda includes:

FQHC Funding – TPCA will be working closely with the Bredesen Administration and with the Legislature to analyze the adequacy of current Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) safety net funding in light of current trends. The FQHCs have seen a tremendous increase in their uninsured encounters over the past several years, rising from 31,000 to 52,000. There will also be additional FQHCs in the state as a result of federal approval for Look-Alike status and the state FQHC expansion.

SmokeFree Workplace - TPCA’s Policy Committee and Board have voted to support the Smoke Free Workplace legislation this session. TPCA is working in partnership with the CHART coalition on this issue. The community health centers recognize that the health care implications are tremendous and that this policy would lead to improved health outcomes for Tennesseans.

CoverTN – TPCA will continue to work with the Bredesen Administration and the Legislature as all of the CoverTN insurance products and Project Diabetes are implemented.

Our grassroots advocacy will be enhanced this year through two new initiatives:

VoterVoice - TPCA now has the VoterVoice grassroots alert system. If you are signed up through NACHC, you will automatically be signed up with TPCA. If you are not signed up through NACHC, you will have the opportunity to sign up through TPCA. You will receive legislative alerts through this system which provides an easier way to communicate with legislators.

Grassroots organizer - NACHC has hired a Grassroots Field Organizer for the Southeast who will be housed at TPCA. We are very pleased to introduce Lynn Williams who begins her job on February 1. She will work with Tennessee CHCs, will attend the NACHC P&I, and then will begin working with the other Southeast states. Please welcome her and work with her when she contacts you about strengthening the grassroots advocacy at your health center.

Mark your calendars and plan to join us for these important events:

NACHC Policy & Issues Forum - NACHC P&I will be held March 15 – 21 in Washington, D.C.

TPCA Hill Day - Tuesday, April 3

Feel free to contact Christi Granstaff, Health Policy Director, at Christi@tnpca.org or 615.329.3836 x 26.

TPCA 2006 Legislative Acomplishments

TPCA had a very successful 2006 legislative session. Thanks to our Policy Committee, chaired by Burt Waller, our Board of Directors, chaired by Cindy Siler, and our members who communicated the importance of our agenda to the members of the Tennessee General Assembly. We are also grateful to the Brenden Administration and the members of the Tennesse General Assembly for their support of our efforts on behalf of the medically underserved in our state.

Accomplishments:

Successfully advocated for the entire $6 million in safety net funding for FQHCs to be in the state budget for the next fiscal year;

Assisted TPCA members who received funding from the $6 million safety net funding for faith based and other primary care in successfully advocating for continuation of this funding for the next fiscal year;

SB 468/HB 640, sponsored by Senator Mike Williams and Representative JoAnne Favors, became law. It requires a TennCare MCO to reimburse a physician who has been credentialed and employed by an FQHC for care rendered to its enrollees at such center from the date the physician’s application is submitted for credentialing by such MCO;

Obtained agreement from the Administration to provide funding for telehealth in community health centers;

SB 3362/HB 3383, sponsored by Senator Roy Herron and Representative David Shepard, became law. It requires a memorandum of understanding among the Tennessee Primary Care Association, the Tennessee Hospital Association, the Tennessee Rural Health Recruitment and Retention Center , and the TN Department of Health related to HPSA designations and an annual report to the General Assembly regarding specifics of the safety net;

Successfully advocated that FQHCs be included in the safety net expansion efforts, resulting in an appropriation of $2.5 million for FQHC expansion .

Worked with the Bredesen Administration to ensure passage of the Cover TN Initiative which will provide an insurance product for the working uninsured, a high risk pool for the uninsurable that includes state funding to assist those in need of a premium subsidy, and a CHIP program for uninsured children that will be administered through the state employees’ health plan. We were especially involved in the portion of the legislation that creates a diabetes initiative which includes opportunities for health centers to access funding to support efforts targeted at diabetes.

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NACHC's Legislative Action Center
This site will keep you informed about federal legislation. From this site
you may write your congressional representatives, find who your legislators
are, sign up for notification of critical legislation, find your local media contacts,
monitor current bills, and check the legislative calendar.

Guide to Tennessee Legislature
Guide to Tennessee Legislature (direct link to legislative section)

Tennessee General Assembly
Tennessee General Assembly
Included is information about Senate, House, and bill, including committees and calendars.

Thomas Legislative Information
Thomas Legislative Information for access to Federal legislative information
including a summary and the status of bills and committee information.

BLOUNT MEMORIAL GOOD SAMARITAN CLINIC

CHOTA COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES

CHRIST COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES

DAYSPRING FAMILY HEALTH CENTER

EAST JACKSON FAMILY MEDICAL CENTER

FAMILY PRACTICE ASSOCIATES

HARDEMAN COUNTY COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER

THE HEALTH LOOP

HOMELESS HEALTH CARE CENTER-CHATTANOOGA/HAMILTON CO.

LIFESPAN HEALTH

MATTHEW WALKER COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CENTER

MEMPHIS HEALTH CENTER

OCOEE REGIONAL HEALTH CORPORATION

STEWART COUNTY COMMUNITY MEDICAL CENTER

UPPER CUMBERLAND PRIMARY CARE RURAL HEALTH INITIATIVE

WILKENS MEDICAL GROUP

WOMEN’S WELLNESS & MATERNITY CENTER