Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1200-13-14-.03 - ENROLLMENT, REASSIGNMENT, AND DISENROLLMENT WITH MANAGED CARE CONTRACTORS (MCCS)

(1) Enrollment.

There are three (3) different types of managed care entities that provide services to TennCare enrollees. Enrollment procedures differ according to the type of managed care entity, the geographic area, and the number of managed care entities operating in each geographic area. Enrollment procedures also differ for ECF CHOICES, as described in subparagraph (c) below.

(a) TennCare Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) other than TennCare Select.

1. Except as provided in subparagraph (c), individuals or families determined eligible for TennCare shall select a health plan (Managed Care Organization/MCO) at the time of application. The health plan must be available in the Grand Division of the State in which the enrollee lives. All family members living in the same household and enrolled in TennCare must be assigned to the same MCO except children determined by the Bureau to be eligible to enroll in TennCare Select. An enrollee is given his choice of MCOs when possible. If the requested MCO cannot accept new enrollees, the Bureau will assign each enrollee to an MCO that is accepting new enrollees. If no MCO is available to enroll new members in the enrollee's Grand Division, the enrollee will be assigned to TennCare Select until such time as another MCO becomes available. The Bureau may also assign TennCare children with special health care needs to TennCare Select.

2. Except as provided in subparagraph (c), a TennCare enrollee may change MCOs one (1) time within the initial ninety (90) calendar days (inclusive of mail time) from the date of the letter informing him of his MCO assignment, if there is another MCO in the enrollee's Grand Division that is currently permitted by the Bureau to accept new enrollees. No additional changes will be allowed except as otherwise specified in these rules. An enrollee shall remain a member of the designated plan until he is given an opportunity to change once each year during an annual change period. The annual change period will occur each year in March for enrollees in West Tennessee, in May for enrollees in Middle Tennessee, and in July for enrollees in East Tennessee. Thereafter, an MCO change is permitted only during an annual change period, unless the Bureau authorizes a change as the result of the resolution of an appeal requesting a "hardship" reassignment as specified in paragraph (2)(b) below. When an enrollee changes MCOs, the enrollee's medical care will be the responsibility of the current MCO until he is enrolled in the requested MCO.

3. Each MCO shall offer its enrollees, to the extent possible, freedom of choice among participating providers. If after notification of enrollment the enrollee has not chosen a primary care provider, one will be selected for him by the MCO. The period during which an enrollee may choose his primary care provider shall not be less than fifteen (15) calendar days.

4. In the event a pregnant woman entering an MCO's plan is receiving medically necessary prenatal care the day before enrollment, the MCO shall be responsible for the costs of continuation of such medically necessary services, without any form of prior approval and without regard to whether such services are being provided within or outside the MCO's provider network until such time as the MCO can reasonably transfer the enrollee to a service and/or network provider without impeding service delivery that might be harmful to the enrollee's health.

In the event a pregnant woman entering the MCO's plan is in her second or third trimester of pregnancy and is receiving medically necessary prenatal care services the day before enrollment, the MCO shall be responsible for providing continued access to the provider (regardless of network affiliation) through the postpartum period. Reimbursement to an out-of-network provider shall be as set out in Rule 1200-13-14-.08.

(b) TennCare Select.

TennCare Select is a prepaid inpatient health plan (PIHP), as defined in 42 C.F.R. § 438.2, which operates in all areas of the State and covers the same services as the MCOs. The State's TennCare Select contractor is reimbursed on a non-risk, non-capitated basis for services rendered to covered populations, and in addition receives fees from the State to offset administrative costs.

1. The TennCare populations included in the TennCare Select delivery system are as follows:

(i) Children under the age of twenty-one (21) years who are eligible for Supplemental Security Income.

(ii) Children in state custody and children leaving state custody for six (6) months post-custody as long as the child remains eligible.

(iii) Children under the age of twenty-one (21) years in an institutional eligibility category who are receiving care in a Nursing Facility or an Intermediate Care Facility for persons with Mental Retardation (or pursuant to federal law, Intermediate Care Facility for the Mentally Retarded) (ICF/MR), and children and adults in a Home and Community Based Services 1915(c) waiver for individuals with mental retardation.

(iv) Enrollees living in areas where there is insufficient MCO capacity to serve them.

After being assigned to TennCare Select, persons in categories (i) and (iii) above may choose to disenroll from TennCare Select and enroll in another MCO if one is available. Persons in categories (ii) and (iv) must remain in TennCare Select. TennCare Select is not open to voluntary selection by TennCare enrollees.

2. TennCare Select also provides the following functions:

(i) It is the back-up plan should one of the MCOs leave the TennCare program unexpectedly. For TennCare enrollees previously enrolled with the MCO, TennCare Select provides medical case management and all MCO covered services.

(ii) It is the only entity responsible for payment of the services described in 42 C.F.R. § 431.52, services provided to residents temporarily absent from the State, and provides all MCO covered services (primarily emergency services).

(iii) It is also the only entity responsible for payment of the services described in 42 C.F.R. § 440.255, emergency services for certain aliens.

(c) TennCare Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) for ECF CHOICES. Individuals enrolled in ECF CHOICES may select from only the MCOs participating in ECF CHOICES.

1. If an individual enrolled in an MCO other than an ECF CHOICES participating MCO wants to enroll in the ECF CHOICES program, the individual must choose to enroll in an ECF CHOICES participating MCO in order to enroll in ECF CHOICES.

2. If an individual enrolled in the ECF CHOICES program elects to transition to an MCO that is not participating in ECF CHOICES, the individual is choosing to voluntarily disenroll from ECF CHOICES. Because this is a voluntary decision, advance notice and the right to a fair hearing shall not be provided. However, the individual may elect to transition back to an ECF CHOICES participating MCO in order to resume enrollment in ECF CHOICES.

(d) TennCare Dental Benefits Manager (DBM).

TennCare Enrollees shall be assigned to the Dental Benefits Manager (DBM) under contract with the Bureau to provide dental benefits as set out in Rule .04, Dental Services. TennCare adults age 21 and older enrolled in ECF CHOICES or a 1915(c) Waiver program shall also receive Adult Dental Services, as outlined in Chapter 1200-13-01.

(e) TennCare Pharmacy Benefits Manager (PBM).

TennCare enrollees who are eligible to receive pharmacy services shall be assigned to the Pharmacy Benefits Manager (PBM) under contract with the Bureau to provide pharmacy benefits for both medical and behavioral health services through the TennCare Program.

(2) Reassignment.

(a) Reassignment to an MCO other than the current MCO in which the TennCare enrollee is enrolled is subject to another MCO's capacity to accept new enrollees and must be approved by the Bureau of TennCare in accordance with one of the following:

1. During the initial ninety (90) day period following notification of MCO assignment as described at Rule 1200-13-14-.03, a TennCare Standard enrollee may request a change of MCOs.

2. A TennCare enrollee must change MCOs if he moves outside the MCO's Grand Division, and that MCO is not authorized to operate in the enrollee's new place of residence. Until the TennCare enrollee selects or is assigned to a new MCO and his enrollment is deemed complete, his medical care will remain the responsibility of the original MCO.

3. If an enrollee's MCO withdraws from participation in the TennCare Program, TennCare will assign him to a MCO operating in his Grand Division, if one is available. The enrollee will be provided notice of the change and will have ninety (90) days to select another MCO in his Grand Division. If no MCO is available to accept enrollees from an exiting plan, the enrollees will be assigned to TennCare Select until such time as another MCO becomes available.

4. An enrollee shall be given an opportunity to change MCOs once each year during an annual change period. Only one (1) MCO change is permitted every twelve (12) months, unless the Bureau authorizes a change as the result of the resolution of an appeal requesting a "hardship" reassignment. When an enrollee changes MCOs, the enrollee's medical care will be the responsibility of the current MCO until enrolled in the requested MCO. If an enrollee changes MCOs during an annual change period, all family members living in the same household and enrolled in TennCare shall also be changed except children enrolled in TennCare Select.

(b) A TennCare enrollee may change MCOs if the TennCare Bureau has granted a request for a change in MCOs or an appeal of a denial of a request for a change in MCOs has been resolved in his favor based on hardship criteria.

1. The following situations will not be determined to be "hardships":

(i) The enrollee is unhappy with the current MCO or primary care provider (PCP), but there is no hardship medical situation (as stated in Part 2. below);

(ii) The enrollee claims lack of access to services but the plan meets the state's access standard;

(iii) The enrollee is unhappy with a current PCP or other providers, and has refused alternative PCP or provider choices offered by the MCO;

(iv) The enrollee is concerned that a current provider might drop out of the plan in the future;

(v) The enrollee is a Medicare beneficiary who (with the exception of pharmacy) may utilize choice of providers, regardless of network affiliation; or

(vi) The enrollee's PCP is no longer in the MCO's network, the enrollee wants to continue to see the current PCP and has refused alternative PCP or provider choices offered by the MCO.

2. Requests for hardship MCO reassignments must meet all of the following six (6) hardship criteria for reassignment. Determinations will be made on an individual basis.

(i) A member has a medical condition that requires complex, extensive, and ongoing care; and

(ii) The member's specialist has stopped participating in the member's current MCO network and has refused continuation of care to the member in his current MCO assignment; and

(iii) The ongoing medical condition of the member is such that another physician or provider with appropriate expertise would be unable to take over his care without significant and negative impact on his care; and

(iv) The current MCO has been unable to negotiate continued care for this member with the current specialist; and

(v) The current provider of services is in the network of one or more alternative MCOs; and

(vi) An alternative MCO is available to enrolled members (i.e., has not given notice of withdrawal from the TennCare Program, is not in receivership, and is not at member capacity for the member's region).

Requests to change MCOs submitted by TennCare enrollees shall be evaluated in accordance with the hardship criteria referenced above. If an enrollee's request to change MCOs is granted due to hardship, all family members living in the same household and enrolled in TennCare will be assigned to the new MCO except children determined by the Bureau to be eligible to enroll in TennCare Select. Upon denial of a request to change MCOs, enrollees shall be provided notice and appeal rights as described in applicable provisions of Rule 1200-13-14-.11.

(c) Members receiving long-term services and supports.

1. In the event that a CHOICES member is determined, based on an assessment of needs, to require a long-term care service that is not currently available under the MCO in which he is currently enrolled, but that is available through another MCO, the Bureau shall work with the current MCO to arrange for provision of the required service, which may involve providing such service out-of-network. It shall be considered to be a hardship reason to change MCO assignment only if the current MCO, after working with the Bureau, is unable to provide the required service. In such cases, the MCO that is unable to provide the required service after working with the Bureau may be subject to sanctions.

2. A CHOICES or ECF CHOICES member may request and shall have cause to change MCO assignment if all of the following are met:

(i) The member receives institutional, residential, or employment support services in the MLTSS program in which he is enrolled;

(ii) The member's institutional, residential, or employment support services provider has stopped participating in the member's MCO network and has refused continuation of care to the member in his current MCO assignment;

(iii) The member's current MCO has been unable to negotiate continued services for the member with the current provider;

(iv) The member would have to change his residential, institutional, or employment supports provider based on that provider's change in status from an in-network to an out-of-network provider with the MCO;

(v) As a result, the member would experience a disruption in his residence or employment;

(vi) The current institutional, residential, or employment support services provider is in the network of one or more alternative MCOs; and

(vii) The alternative MCO the member has selected is available to enroll members (i.e., has not given notice of withdrawal from the TennCare Program, is not in receivership, and is not at member capacity for the member's region).

(d) Enrollees who are out-of-state on a temporary basis, but maintain their status as a Tennessee resident under federal and state laws, shall be reassigned to TennCare Select for the period they are out-of-state.

(e) TennCare shall only accept a request to change MCO assignment from the affected enrollee, his parent, guardian, spouse, child over age eighteen (18) or responsible party as defined in Rule 1200-13-14-.01.

(3) Disenrollment.

(a) When it has been determined that an individual no longer meets the criteria for TennCare eligibility, that individual shall be disenrolled from the TennCare Program, including the CHOICES and ECF CHOICES program, as applicable. Services provided by the TennCare MCO in which the individual has been enrolled, as well as the PBM and DBM, if applicable, shall be terminated upon disenrollment. Such disenrollment action will be accompanied by appropriate due process procedures as described elsewhere in this Chapter. Disenrollment from the CHOICES program shall proceed as described in Rule 1200-13-01-.05. Disenrollment from the ECF CHOICES program shall proceed as described in Rule 1200-13-01-.31.

(b) Coverage shall cease at 12:00 midnight, local time, on the date that an individual is disenrolled from TennCare.

(c) TennCare may reassign individuals from a designated MCO and place them in another MCO as described elsewhere in these rules. A TennCare MCO may not reassign an enrollee without the permission of TennCare. A TennCare MCO shall not request the reassignment of a TennCare enrollee for any of the following reasons:

1. Adverse changes in the enrollee's health;

2. Pre-existing medical conditions; or

3. High cost medical bills.

Coverage by a particular MCO shall cease at 12:00 midnight local time on the date that an individual has been reassigned by TennCare from one MCO and placed in another plan. Coverage by the new MCO will begin when coverage by the old MCO ends.

Notes

Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1200-13-14-.03

Public necessity rule filed July 1, 2002; effective through December 13, 2002. Original rule filed September 30, 2002; to be effective December 14, 2002; however, on December 9, 2002, the House Government Operations Committee of the General Assembly stayed Rule 1200-13- 14-.03; new effective date February 12, 2003. Emergency rule filed December 13, 2002; effective through May 27, 2003. Public necessity rule filed December 29, 2005; expired June 12, 2006. On June 13, 2006, affected rules reverted to status on December 28, 2005. Amendment filed March 31, 2006; effective June 14, 2006. Amendment filed August 14, 2006; effective October 28, 2006. Amendment filed January 26, 2007; effective April 11, 2007. Amendment filed September 13, 2007; effective November 27, 2007. Public necessity rule filed February 8, 2008; effective through July 22, 2008. Repeal and new rule filed May 7, 2008; effective July 21, 2008. Amendments filed September 25, 2009; effective December 24, 2009. Amendment filed November 30, 2009; effective February 28, 2010. Emergency rule filed March 1, 2010; effective through August 28, 2010. Amendment filed May 27, 2010; effective August 25, 2010. Amendments filed October 26, 2010; effective January 24, 2011. Amendments filed June 18, 2012; effective September 16, 2012. Emergency rules filed July 1, 2016; effective through December 28, 2016. Amendments filed September 30, 2016; effective December 29, 2016. Amendments filed September 25, 2017; effective December 24, 2017. Amendments filed July 8, 2021; effective October 6, 2021. Amendments filed February 16, 2022; effective May 17, 2022. Emergency rules filed December 27, 2022 to become effective January 1, 2023; effective through June 30, 2023. Amendments filed January 19, 2023; effective 4/19/2023.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-5-202, 4-5-208, 4-5-209, 71-5-105, 71-5-107, and 71-5-109 and Executive Order No. 23.