RESOLUTION NO. RS2015-1476

A resolution supporting the Insure Tennessee plan and encouraging key stakeholders, including the business community, medical care providers, educators and nonprofits in Tennessee, to continue and increase their efforts to educate the public and the General Assembly about the benefits of the program and the consequences of the failure to implement the program.

WHEREAS, in December 2014, Governor Bill Haslam introduced the Insure Tennessee plan, which would provide medical insurance coverage to approximately 280,000 low-income Tennesseans, including 30,000 uninsured people living in Davidson County; and 30,000 Tennessee U.S. Military veterans who today lack health insurance through the Veterans Affairs Administration; and

WHEREAS, this two-year pilot program was the result of 21 months of negotiations between Governor Haslam and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and

WHEREAS, in addition to providing insurance coverage to these 280,000 low-income Tennesseans, Insure Tennessee would prepare these citizens to transition to private market coverage by encouraging personal responsibility and providing incentives for the appropriate use of the healthcare system; and

WHEREAS, Insure Tennessee would also create financial incentives for healthcare providers to ensure high-quality care is provided in an efficient and appropriate manner so as to reduce costs and improve health outcomes; and

WHEREAS, since the Tennessee Hospital Association has committed that hospital providers will cover any additional costs to the state, Insure Tennessee will not result in any new taxes or impact the state’s budget; and

WHEREAS, Tennessee taxpayers are already paying federal Medicaid taxes for the Affordable Care Act, but the state is not receiving any benefit from these tax dollars; and

WHEREAS, a failure to implement Insure Tennessee will have a major negative financial impact on Tennessee’s hospitals that provide services to uninsured persons, including Nashville General Hospital, and would likely result in the closure or reduction of services of some hospitals; and

WHEREAS, to further compound the problem, if the federal government withholds $500 million federal uncompensated care funds as a result of Tennessee’s failure to expand the Medicaid program, hospitals in Tennessee would have an even greater financial hole to fill; and

WHEREAS, key stakeholders, including the business community, medical care providers, educators, and nonprofits in Tennessee, are best able to educate their constituencies about the benefits of Insure Tennessee and continue to encourage grassroots efforts to influence members of the Tennessee General Assembly.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:

Section 1. The Metropolitan County Council hereby goes on record as supporting the Insure Tennessee plan and encourages key stakeholders in Tennessee to continue and increase efforts to educate the public and the Tennessee General Assembly about the benefits of the program and the consequences of the failure to implement the program.

Section 2. The Metropolitan Clerk is directed to send a copy of this Resolution to the Davidson County Delegation of the Tennessee General Assembly and the Nashville Chamber of Commerce.

Section 3. This Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.

Sponsored by: Emily Evans, Burkley Allen

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
Referred to:	Rules & Confirmations Committee
Introduced:	May 5, 2015
Adopted:	May 5, 2015
Approved:	May 6, 2015
By: