The Affordable Care Act (ACA) provides federal funding to expand Medicaid to cover to low income Tennesseans. But the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states could decide whether to permit their residents to receive that Medicaid coverage. Although Governor Haslam (R) created a plan to provide coverage to 300,000 Tennesseans under the ACA at no cost to the State or to Tennessee taxpayers (Insure Tennessee), the Tennessee legislature has failed to act.
These individuals fall in the Gap because they don’t make enough for coverage under healthcare.gov, and yet they cannot qualify for TennCare.
Provides health care and financial peace of mind to 300,000 Tennesseans, including 24,000 veterans, while encouraging personal responsibility;
Extends a financial lifeline to our hospitals, especially in rural communities;
Generates 21,000 new jobs throughout the state;
Keeps Tennesseans’ federal taxes at home by directing $1.5 billion in federal funding each year into local economies;
Protects the state budget with guarantees of funding by the federal government and Tennessee’s hospital industry, plus the program can be cancelled with one year’s notice if Tennessee legislators deem it financially unsustainable;
Reflects the will of the people. According to a May 2018 Vanderbilt poll, 66% of Tennessee voters support Medicaid Expansion. More self-identified Tea Party voters (42%) support Insure Tennessee than oppose it (40%);
Is supported by research conducted by respected economists at the University of Tennessee Centers for Business & Economic Research and at the University of Memphis’ Sparks Bureau of Business and Economic Research;
