Tennessee alternative to Medicaid expansion defeated in committee

A Tennessee legislative committee yesterday rejected an alternative to Medicaid expansion proposed by Gov. Bill Haslam. The Insure Tennessee proposal, supported by the Tennessee Hospital Association, would provide health coverage to more than 200,000 uninsured adults earning less than 138% of the federal poverty level. “Ultimately, seven legislators made a decision that prevented the full General Assembly from having the opportunity to debate this extremely important issue,” said THA President and CEO Craig Becker. “We are hopeful that members of the General Assembly will continue to consider ways for Tennessee to provide coverage to the hundreds of thousands of uninsured in our state who have no option for coverage. Hospitals believe this is right for our state and will continue to work with the Haslam administration and General Assembly to find coverage solutions for Tennessee’s uninsured.”