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11 tweets,
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Interesting take:
“TN is one of the best financially managed states in the nation. A block grant would give us the regulatory flexibility to design an innovative plan that works best for our citizens, instead of a one-size-fits-all plan from D.C.”
tennessean.com/story/news/pol…
“TN is one of the best financially managed states in the nation. A block grant would give us the regulatory flexibility to design an innovative plan that works best for our citizens, instead of a one-size-fits-all plan from D.C.”
tennessean.com/story/news/pol…
Interesting, because our state is a "recipient" state, not a "donor" state, meaning that we receive more from the federal government than we pay in. Gov Haslam, to his credit, acknowledged that fact in his inaugural address 8 years ago.
Here's our standing:
Here's our standing:
TN receives about $1.75 for every $1.00 we pay in. 
What this means is that we would be adrift without financial support from the donor states.
Which makes it even more frustrating that our state refuses to expand Medicaid -- thereby turning away about $1 billion/year to help cover the uninsured.
Which makes it even more frustrating that our state refuses to expand Medicaid -- thereby turning away about $1 billion/year to help cover the uninsured.
We have no problem accepting federal money (from other states) for our roads, policing, housing, and other needs. But not for health care.
In fact, we pay our taxes and those TN funds are shipped off to other states to help them for their own uninsured populations.
It would be devastating for the state to refuse to accept less than the $1.75 for every $1.00 we put in, but at least that would be a consistent position. We could truly be considered well managed if we were doing it well, and on our own. But we are not.
So, by all means, TN GOP, try to get coverage for our own citizens by negotiating a block grant. I hope that works! I'm really pulling for you. People's lives depend on your success.
But for 8 years, this has been tried. And after 8 years, 300,000 of our souls are in limbo, with no coverage, getting sicker and dying. KY (home of Mitch McConnell), and IN (home of VP Pence) both expanded Medicaid and their people are now far healthier and more secure than ours.
Hope springs eternal! But please, refrain from bragging about how well-managed we are as a state when talking about health care, when we are using other people's money for all of our other basic needs in TN.
Again, my take on this story. Thread.
