Lawmakers Voting Against Insure Tennessee Get State Health Themselves

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Six of the seven senators who voted to kill Gov. Bill Haslam’s proposal to extend health coverage to 280,000 low-income Tennesseans are enrolled in state government-subsidized health insurance.
   
According to records obtained by The Associated Press under state open records laws, the state-insured senators include Sen. Todd Gardenhire, a Chattanooga Republican who angrily chided a Democratic colleague during committee debates for suggesting that lawmakers receiving government subsidies for their insurance should be more receptive the governor’s proposal to extend coverage to poor Tennesseans.
   
Gardenhire stressed during the debate that he had private insurance through his private employer Morgan Stanley. He acknowledged on Thursday that he is enrolled in state insurance, but said he doesn’t use it because his coverage through his employer is far superior.

Among Tennessee 132 state lawmakers, 116 carry state health coverage, including 88 of 99 House members and 28 of 33 Senate members. Twenty-three are Democrats and 93 are Republicans. Supporters of Republican Gov. Bill Haslam’s failed proposal to extend coverage to 280,000 low-income Tennesseans argued that lawmakers with state coverage should have been more sympathetic to the plan. A list of state lawmakers enrolled in the state health plan:
   
HOUSE
   
Rep. Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis
   
Rep. David Alexander, R-Winchester
   
Rep. Joe Armstrong, D-Knoxville
   
Rep. Bill Beck, D-Nashville
   
Rep. Kevin Brooks, R-Cleveland
   
Rep. Harry Brooks, R-Knoxville
   
Rep. Sheila Butt, R-Columbia
   
Rep. Karen Camper, D-Memphis
   
Rep. Dale Carr, R-Sevierville
   
Rep. Mike Carter, R-Chattanooga
   
Rep. Glen Casada, R-Franklin
   
Rep. John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville
   
Rep. Jim Coley, R-Memphis
   
Rep. Barbara Cooper, R-Memphis
   
Rep. Martin Daniel, R-Knoxville
   
Rep. John Deberry, D-Memphis
   
Rep. Barry Doss, R-Leoma
   
Rep. Kevin Dunlap, D-McMinnville
   
Rep. Bill Dunn, R-Knoxville
   
Rep. Jeremy Durham, R-Franklin
   
Rep. Jimmy Eldridge, R-Jackson
   
Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby
   
Rep. Andrew Farmer, R-Sevierville
   
Rep. Joanne Favors, D-Chattanooga
   
Rep. Craig Fitzhugh, D-Ripley
   
Rep. John Forgety, R-Athens
   
Rep. Tilman Goins, R-Morristown
   
Rep. Curtis Halford, R-Dyer
   
Rep. GA Hardaway, R-Memphis
   
Rep. Mike Harrison, R-Rogersville
   
Rep. Beth Harwell, R-Nashville
   
Rep. David Hawk, R-Greeneville
   
Rep. Ryan Haynes, R-Knoxville
   
Rep. Patsy Hazlewood, R-Chattanooga
   
Rep. Matthew Hill, R-Jonesborough
   
Rep. Timothy Hill, R-Blountville
   
Rep. John Holsclaw, R-Johnson City
   
Rep. Andy Holt, R-Dresden
   
Rep. Dan Howell, R-Cleveland
   
Rep. Curtis Johnson, R-Clarksville
   
Rep. Sherry Jones, D-Nashville
   
Rep. Roger Kane, R-Knoxville
   
Rep. Kelly Keisling, R-Byrdstown
   
Rep. Sami Kumar, R-Springfield
   
Rep. William Lamberth, R-Gallatin
   
Rep. Mary Littleton, R-Dickson
   
Rep. Ronald Lollar, R-Bartlett
   
Rep. Harold Love, D-Nashville
   
Rep. Jon Lundberg, R-Bristol
   
Rep. Susan Lynn, R-Mt. Juliet
   
Rep. Pat Marsh, R-Shelbyville
   
Rep. Judd Matheny, R-Tullahoma
   
Rep. Jimmy Matlock, R-Lenoir City
   
Rep. Gerald McCormick, R-Chattanooga
   
Rep. Steve McDaniel, R-Parkers Crossroads
   
Rep. Steve McManus, R-Memphis
   
Rep. Larry Miller, D-Memphis
   
Rep. Bo Mitchell, D-Nashville
   
Rep. Joe Pitts, D-Clarksville
   
Rep. Mark Pody, R-Lebanon
   
Rep. Jason Powell, D-Nashville
   
Rep. Dennis Powers, R-Jacksboro
   
Rep. Bob Ramsey, R-Maryville
   
Rep. Jay Reedy, R-Erin
   
Rep. Courtney Rogers, R-Goodlettsville
   
Rep. Bill Sanderson, R-Kenton
   
Rep. Charles Sargent, R-Franklin
   
Rep. Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville
   
Rep. Jerry Sexton, R-Morristown
   
Rep. Johnny Shaw, R-Bolivar
   
Rep. David Shepard, D-Dickson
   
Rep. Eddie Smith, R-Knoxville
   
Rep. Mike Sparks, R-Smyrna
   
Rep. Billy Spivey, R-Lewisburg
   
Rep. Mike Stewart, D-Nashville
   
Rep. Art Swann, R-Maryville
   
Rep. Curry Todd, R-Collierville
   
Rep. Joe Towns, D-Memphis
   
Rep. Ron Travis, R-Dayton
   
Rep. James "Micah" Van Huss, R-Jonesborough
   
Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver, R-Lancaster
   
Rep. Mark White, R-Memphis
   
Rep. Gloria White, R-Murfreesboro
   
Rep. Leigh Wilburn, R-Somerville
   
Rep. Ryan Williams, R-Cookeville
   
Rep. John Windle, D-Livingston
   
Rep. Tim Wirgau, R-Buchanan
   
Rep. Rick Womick, R-Murfreesboro
   
SENATE
   
Sen. Paul Bailey, R-Sparta
   
Sen. Mae Beavers, R-Mt. Juliet
   
Sen. Mike Bell, R-Riceville
   
Sen. Rusty Crowe, R-Johnson City
   
Sen. Steven Dickerson, R-Nashville
   
Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga
   
Sen. Mark Green, R-Clarksville
   
Sen. Ferrell Haile, R-Gallatin
   
Sen. Thelma Harper, D-Nashville
   
Sen. Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald
   
Sen. Ed Jackson, R-Jackson
   
Sen. Jack Johnson, R-Franklin
   
Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown
   
Sen. Sara Kyle, D-Memphis
   
Sen. Becky Duncan Massey, R-Knoxville
   
Sen. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge
   
Sen. Frank Niceley, R-Strawberry Plains
   
Sen. Mark Norris, R-Collierville
   
Sen. Doug Overbey, R-Maryville
   
Sen. Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville
   
Sen. Kerry Roberts, R-Springfield
   
Sen. Steve Southerland, R-Morristown
   
Sen. John Stevens, R-Huntingdon
   
Sen. Reginald Tate, D-Memphis
   
Sen. Jim Tracy, R-Shelbyville
   
Sen. Bo Watson, R-Chattanooga
   
Sen. Ken Yager, R-Kingston
   
Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville
   
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Source: State of Tennessee