On January 14, 2015, Dr. Melinda Buntin, chair of the Department of Health Policy, presented data at the Nashville Community Health Forum, illustrating the potential impact Insure Tennessee would have on insurance coverage across the state.
With the Supreme Court decision in July 2012 making state Medicaid expansion optional under the ACA, several states have expanded their Medicaid programs, but many states have not. Over the last two years, some states have found that their reluctance to expand Medicaid has led to increased negotiating power with the federal government to create alternatives to traditional Medicaid expansion. Using Social Security Act Section 1115 waivers, states have created Medicaid programs that provide vouchers for private and employer-sponsored insurance, required small premiums and co-pays for various health services, and created health savings accounts for eligible enrollees. As of January 2015, 29 states had expanded their Medicaid programs under the ACA; six of those have created alternative programs using the Section 1115 waiver program.
Recently, Tennessee’s governor, Bill Haslam, proposed a plan for a 2-year pilot program, through a Section 1115 waiver, to expand health insurance coverage to newly eligible individuals under the ACA. The goal of Insure Tennessee is to provide coverage to nearly 400,000 Tennesseans, while controlling health care costs by ensuring that both the physician and patient work toward a common goal of improved health. Insure Tennessee has two parts – the Volunteer Plan (VP) and the Health Incentives Tennessee program (HIT). The VP provides vouchers for working adults to purchase health coverage offered through their employer, while the HIT program rewards enrollees through Health Reimbursement Accounts for the appropriate use of health care services.
These resources are intended to inform the discussions and debates regarding Insure Tennessee. They are not an endorsement of any policy or piece of legislation.
Click here to see Dr. Buntin's slides from the Nashville Community Health Forum.
Click here to read Tennessean article about the forum.
