Democrats Ready to Work With GOP on Medicaid Expansion
Bills allowing for expansion filed by Republicans, Democrats
NASHVILLE — Democratic Senators are encouraged by Republican lawmakers who filed legislation to expand Medicaid in Tennessee.
This is great news. We should never let politics stand in the way of doing the right thing on healthcare.
Senator Raumesh Akbari:
Whether you’re a Democrat, a Republican or Independent, every parent wants to be able to take their kid or themselves to the doctor when they get sick. Family health coverage and strong community hospitals are not and should never be partisan issues. Senate Democrats have long believed that Medicaid expansion would be the right step for Tennessee and we’ll work with any Republican to get it done.
Under the federal law, Tennesseans who have jobs but are not offered health insurance through work, could obtain health coverage through TennCare, the state’s Medicaid program. Enrollment would be limited to Tennesseans who earn less than 138 percent of the federal poverty line — $23,791 for a single parent. An estimated 300,000 Tennesseans may currently qualify.
Nearly 7 percent of the population — or about 450,000 Tennesseans — do not have any health coverage,largely because they cannot afford it, according to a recent University of Tennessee study.
Medicaid expansion would infuse $1.4 billion into Tennessee’s health care economy — revenue that is desperately needed in a state that’s seen the highest rate of hospital closures per capita in the nation.
Sen. Yarbro has two bills, introduced last session, that would grant the governor the authority to expand Medicaid.
