Tennessee Hospital Assc. Endorses Governor’s Medicaid Plan

   After a year of negotiations and criticism, Governor Bill Halsam announces a deal with the Federal government to expand Medicaid coverage for low income families in Tennessee.
   The program will be called Insure Tennessee.
   It will provide coverage for the state’s uninsured without creating new taxes.
   The plan will give members a voucher to purchase insurance in the private market.

   Craig Becker with the Tennessee Hospital Association endorses the program.

   “Today’s announcement from Governor Haslam regarding his Insure Tennessee plan is
welcomed news for Tennessee’s hospitals. For the past two years, THA’s number one
priority has been securing Medicaid expansion in our state and today marks the
beginning of this goal becoming a reality. I applaud the governor’s thoughtful approach
to this vitally important issue and am grateful for his hard work with the Department of
Health and Human Services in recent months.
   “Insure Tennessee represents a meaningful alternative to traditional Medicaid
expansion. It is a plan that makes sense for Tennessee and its people. The working
uninsured in our state currently find themselves in a coverage gap that results in limited
access to healthcare. Insure Tennessee can close this gap and help our neighbors and
loved ones find quality coverage and access to care. These individuals are hardworking
Tennesseans who sometimes hold down multiple jobs and many who have
even served our country in the armed forces.
   “I also believe Insure Tennessee helps provide a solution to the financial challenges
hospitals across Tennessee have faced for the last several years as a result of extreme
cuts in healthcare reimbursement. Extending healthcare coverage in Tennessee will
lead to lower amounts of charity and unreimbursed care, which helps keep hospitals
financially healthy and providing high quality care.
   “The health of our communities can only improve when more people have health
insurance and the sustainability of hospitals is secure. THA and its members stand
ready to support Governor Haslam in the months and years ahead to make Insure
Tennessee a reality for our state.”