Rosalina

Rosalina was 64 years old when she was cut from TennCare in 2005.  She was on TennCare as uninsurable because she suffers from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis, and non-insulin dependent diabetes.  After she was cut, she called the Tennessee Justice Center.  TJC contacted the saftey net program and got Rosalina signed up for what limited services were available.  She got what medicine she could through the safety net program, but some medicine she had to do without.  She could not afford to keep seeing the doctor she had been seeing for years.  She prayed that she would not have a major health crisis before she turned 65 in September 2006 when she would qualify for Medicare. <Read Rosalina's full story>

Marvin

At the age of 7, Marvin was the victim of an accidental shooting that left him a quadriplegic. Medical professionals encouraged his mother to place him in an institution. She refused. As Marvin grew, she could no longer lift him and give him the basic care he needed. His health was in danger. Marvin’s doctors prescribed home health services. TennCare and its MCOs denied these home health services for Marvin even though Marvin’s doctors said they were medically necessary for him. <Read Marvin's full story>

James

James has Marfan’s Syndrome, a rare disorder that ravages the central nervous system. Doctors can’t explain how he is living, but his wife Lorrie knows. James lives for his family. <Read James's full story>

Jonathan

John and Sue have spent the last 20 years helping their son Jonathan reach his maximum potential.  Jonathan suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome. This means that when medicated Jonathan has a nearly normal IQ but suffers from many of the debilitating characteristics of Autism.  His disability prevents him from being able to socialize with other people and make sound decisions.  At the age of 24, he has the functional IQ and emotional maturity of a young boy. <Read Jonathan's full story>

Rosa

Rosa, of Nashville, has four children.  She has lived in the U.S. for 12 years.  Rosa and her two older children are legal permanent residents of the United States.  Her two younger children were born in the U.S. 

Over the course of two years, Rosa and two of her children were denied benefits at the Department of Human Services (DHS).  Contrary to DHS policy, Rosa was told repeatedly that she and her two older children were not eligible to receive benefits. <Read Rosa's full story>

Carolyn and Lloyd

Carolyn is the personification of the statement, “Never underestimate what a mother will do to protect her child.”  Carolyn is the mother of three grown children.  When her youngest was three years old, she became a widow.  She has had to work and raise her children alone ever since.  Now past 60, she works in the fast food industry to have enough money to support herself and her seriously ill son. <Read their full story>

Austin

Austin is an 8-year-old who is charming, bright, and full of life. He is diagnosed with a severe language disorder that makes his limited speech unintelligible. After three years of attempting to use a communications device, Austin was only able to combine two symbols and was completely unable to navigate between pages of the device without heavy prompting and cueing. This was a source of great frustration for Austin. For three years he and his parents stressed over the loneliness caused by Austin’s inability to communicate. <Read Austin's full story>

Connor

Connor was born with spinal muscular atrophy.  His breathing is impaired and pneumonia is a constant threat.  He cannot walk, turn over, or eat by mouth, but he can certainly talk!  As we were talking with his mother, he was chattering away, playing with toy animal figures.  Despite his numerous handicaps, he is a delight and full of life. <Read Connor's full story>

Sandy

Sandy is one of nearly 200,000 people who have lost TennCare coverage since July 1, 2005.  She has been living with leukemia for about six years.  She needs chemotherapy treatments – sometimes just once or twice a month, sometimes two times a week – depending on her blood levels.  Over a six-month period, the cost of treating Sandy's cancer is about $44,000.  But this investment in Sandy's life allows her to live, to pastor the congregations for which she works, and most importantly to love and guide her three children and be a partner to her husband. <Read Sandy's full story>

Chance

Eleven-year-old Chance enjoys being outdoors. He loves to play basketball and go swimming. Chance was born with hearing and vision impairments as well as serious psychological and neurological problems. <Read Chance's full story>

Jordan

Jordan was diagnosed with an immune system disorder when he was a few months old.  Every baby needs regular check-ups.  For Jordan, check-ups are critical because his disorder can develop into leukemia.  When he gets sick, he usually ends up at the hospital. <Read Jordan's full story>

Tina

Tina, 43, lives in Lawrenceburg with her 17-year-old daughter, who is her pride and joy.  Tina loves to tell anyone who will listen about her daughter’s honor roll grades and plans to attend college.  Several years ago, Tina’s panic and anxiety disorders prevented her from leaving her home.  She was so paralyzed by fear, just getting out to the driveway was terrifying. <Read Tina's full story>

Geanine

Twenty-one-year-old Geanine was in a car accident in October 2004.  She suffered a traumatic brain injury.  Immediately after the accident, Geanine could not walk or talk.  Her mother, Gerece was living in Milwaukee and moved with her son, Geanine’s younger brother, to Tennessee to take care of her daughter. <Read Geanine's full story>

Mark P.

Mark P., 53, has mental retardation and a serious heart condition. He lives in Lawrenceburg with his father and step-mother, who are in their 70s. In August 2005, Mark’s step-mother called TJC. She told us that Mark had been without his medication for several days because he lost TennCare coverage. Mark couldn’t sleep or control himself and she had not slept for days trying to care for him. She was afraid that Mark would have to be hospitalized soon if he didn’t get medicine. <Read Mark's full story>

Jada

Jada contacted our office at the suggestion of the attorney representing her in her disability case. A CT-Scan had revealed a tumor on her kidney and a place on her lung. She needed surgery to remove the tumor on the kidney and biopsy it. Her doctor advised her that it was likely cancer. <Read Jada's full story>