Haslam’s ‘Insure Tennessee’ Garners National Attention

TnReport, Dec. 16, 2014 - Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam’s announcement this week that his administration has reached a tentative agreement with the federal government to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act has drawn interest across the country.

The plan — which the governor hopes is palatable to the state’s supermajority Republican-controlled General Assembly — is a two year pilot program that in part calls for providing vouchers to lower-income Tennesseans to help subsidize their health insurance.

The state’s highest ranking lawmakers — Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville, and House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville — have said the governor’s Tennessee-style Obamacare embrace appears at first glance to be based on “conservative” and “free market” principles. But both are holding back full-fledged support until they and other legislators dive more deeply into the details of Haslam’s plan. The plan must win formal approval from both the Tennessee Legislature and the Obama administration’s Medicaid services agency.

Here’s some of the coverage from national news and opinion sites:

• The New York Times: With Hospitals Under Stress, Tennessee’s Governor Pursues Medicaid Expansion
• Wall Street Journal: Tennessee Moves to Expand Medicaid
• The Washington Post: Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam endorses Medicaid expansion
• The Washington Examiner: Tennessee announces plans for Medicaid expansion
• The Hill: Tennessee governor strikes deal on Medicaid
• Politico: Tennessee tees up Medicaid expansion battle
• The Daily Caller: Another Red State Moves To Expand Medicaid
• MSNBC: Another domino falls: Medicaid expansion advances in Tennessee
• Bloomberg: Tennessee to Expand Medicaid as GOP Adapts to Obamacare
• NPR: Tennessee Governor Moves To Expand Medicaid Coverage
• Modern Healthcare: Tenn. Medicaid expansion plan includes vouchers, deal with hospitals
• Wonkette (a satirical news site): Tennessee Expands Medicaid, Gets Permission To Not Call It Obamacare
  
• Wonk Blog: Three Republican governors have now endorsed the Medicaid expansion since the midterms
• Think Progress: Medicaid Expansion Gaining Momentum In GOP-Controlled States

Top Stories