Login | Create New Account | Facebook | Twitter
Homes | Jobs | Wheels | Worship | IShopTheTri | Move To Kingsport | Kingsport Chamber of Commerce
Print
Bredesen: Health care reform would cost state $1.4 billion
JONESBOROUGH — Health care reform legislation that was scheduled for a House vote on Saturday would cost Tennessee an estimated $1.4 billion in expanded Medicaid expenses, Gov. Phil Bredesen said.
Bredesen, who attended Friday’s dedication of the George P. Jaynes Justice Center, said that price tag is about double what the Senate Finance Committee’s version of health care reform would cost the state.
“Our best guess is in that 2014 to 2019 period that (the legislation) comes into effect, it’s got a cost of about $1.4 billion to the state,” Bredesen, a Democrat and former health maintenance organization operator, said of the Democrat-sponsored $1.2 trillion health care reform measure in the House. “Our problem is in great years, that’s hard to accommodate. ... The public option (in the health care reform bill) does not have a direct impact on the costs to the state of Tennessee. Medicaid is where those costs really are. ”
Bredesen was asked if he ever considered how he might have impacted the health care reform debate if he would have been named U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary.
Former Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius got the HHS job over Bredesen.
“I feel like I have dodged a bullet,” Bredesen said with a smile.
Bredesen said he has communicated the state’s position on health care reform primarily with U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon, a Democrat, because he is the dean of the Tennessee congressional delegation.
But Bredesen said he feels fortunate to also be dealing with GOP U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker on the reform legislation.
Alexander is a former governor, and Corker is the state’s former chief financial officer.
“They both just have an inherent understanding of what is going on in state government that an awful lot of senators don’t,” Bredesen said of Alexander and Corker.
Bredesen told reporters that despite the infusion of money into state government from the federal stimulus package, the next decade will be tough on Tennessee.
“It’s going to be 2014 before we think we’ll be back to the revenues we had in 2008,” he predicted. “Then of course you’ve got lots of unmet needs. You won’t have given raises to state employees for five years at that point. Our pension plans are in need of some replenishment. Our reserves are in need of some replenishment. We won’t have done a bunch of new things. It’s a problem, there’s no question about it.”
Bredesen noted he and department heads are expected to go through the numbers during upcoming budget hearings.
“This next six months is going to be the toughest six months of my time as governor,” said Bredesen, who is in his second and last term as governor. “It is a tough time to close. It becomes politically difficult because the economy is starting to come back a little bit, and yet because of all the stimulus money, we’ve been protected by some of these cuts but they will come home. For both me and the legislature, you’re in this position of when the public thinks things are getting better, our budget is getting worse. But we will get through this as we did in the past.”
When asked for his take on GOP Election Day wins in New Jersey and Virginia, Bredesen indicated he learned more from what happened in Virginia.
“I just think the message (in Virginia) is ‘This is a centrist country,’ ” Bredesen said. “Independents really do hold sway in elections. The way I’ve been able to be elected in Tennessee is to really focus on staying in the center and getting the independents to be with you. I lose some of the right-wing Republicans and some of the left-wing Democrats. ... I’m afraid as a party we’re not responding to that (independent) group. We’re depending too much on the narrow base.”
To comment, you must register.
Comments are the sole responsibility of the registered user participating in online discussions. You agree not to post comments off topic, abusive, obscene, defamatory, vulgar, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned.
- Internet rape case flags dangers of Internet anonymity
- Charges pending against Wise Co. teen in connection with street race death
- Teacher aide on leave over allegations of improper relationship with student; Teacher accused of having sex with student
- Rain today, snow tonight and Wednesday
- Kingsport police allegedly find pot, pills hidden in man's dreadlocks
- Nearly 20-year sentence given in Johnson City child porn case
- Tenn. officials address child sexual abuse report
- Kingsport woman arrested after allegedly stabbing boyfriend with kitchen knife
- Search warrants net five Kingsport drug arrests, $10,000 in cash
- UFOs come to ETSU
Most Popular News
Today | Week | Month | Year
Featured Blogger
Reports: Cregg, Reaves, Brown no longer on UT staff
By John Moorehouse - 1-16-2010
Multiple media outlets in Knoxville are reporting that three holdovers from Lane Kiffin's staff are no longer with the Tennessee football program...- Shows for kids aren’t child-friendly
- Elizabethton police dog euthanized after being stabbed by boys
- Charges pending against Wise Co. teen in connection with street race death
- Indicted Surgoinsville Water Utility board member submits resignation
- Fugitive crashes during police chase in Kingsport
- Kingsport police allegedly find pot, pills hidden in man's dreadlocks
- In latest blow, Toyota recalls 437,000 Prius and other hybrids globally for brake problems
- Stop blaming teacher for kid’s failure
- Pizza delivery driver faces DUI, drug possession charges after hitting parked cars
- Tenn. lawmakers override veto on menu labeling
Most Discussed
Today | Week | Month | Year
topjobs
Browse Premiere Local Businesses
Home | Login | Local News | Obits | Sports | Business | Opinions | Blogs | Classifieds| Business Profiles
Web Feeds/RSS | Contact Us | Customer Service | Privacy Statement | Common Questions | E-Edition | Subscriptions | Site Map
© 2010 Kingsport Publishing Corporation - Innovation by Times Digital Group
JUST MORE BI-PARTISIAN SCARE TACTICS.
MUST BE CAUSTING HIS WALLET SOMETHING FROM INSURANCE LOBBYISTS
When Tennessee had a $280 Million Dollar surplus they had to go and hand that over to the MCO's, Managed Care Organizations, or small HMO's along with the Meidcaid money from the Federal Government.
What did they expect ? MCO's make money just like HMO's by denying care. So in one year all the state surplus was gone and the state deep in debt.
All they had to do was SHUT DOWN TENNCARE and say "HEY THIS DON'T WORK" and go back to Medicaid. Many of us called and begged them too. But the MCO became a one Businesses the state provides CORPORATE WELFARE too.
Wake up and shut down Tenncare. Or have you got too many poor people in Tennessee now to do that.
Why not pass another tax cut that has seemed to work so well. Or increase the Nasville Government Salarys. lol
I think Bredesen has been a good Gov,but,Tn could have saved a little waste on the Pre K babysitting program.
Why worry about how Tennessee will suffer with this bill. The CBO says the $1.2 trillion bill will be more like $1.55 trillion. I would doubt fining Eastman would bring in $1.4 billion for the state.
Well Mr. Bredesen, If you and yours would cut out all the pork and crap you call important the state would have more than enough money for healthcare reform, People and their health is more important than anything, and if the state would fine the Eastman what it should be fined for all it's harmful waste in the states waterways instead of a slap on the wrist well thats enough right there to fund healthcare...