953,000 in state could get health coverage

NASHVILLE — The White House says 953,000 Tennesseans now uninsured could get affordable coverage under a health insurance exchange envisioned in the federal health care overhaul.

“Families, seniors and businesses are all suffering under the health care status quo,” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Monday as she released a report highlighting what the Obama administration says are the benefits of health insurance reform for Tennessee.

The report is titled “Health Insurance Reform and Tennessee: The Case for Change.” It seeks to make the case for reform in Tennessee.

Among other things, it says:

* 953,000 residents who now do not have insurance and 351,000 residents who have nongroup insurance could get affordable coverage through the health insurance exchange.

* 595,000 residents could qualify for premium tax credits to help them purchase health coverage.

* 995,000 seniors would receive free preventive services.

* 177,000 seniors would have their brand-name drug costs in the Medicare Part D “doughnut hole” halved.

* 62,400 small businesses could be helped by a small business tax credit to make premiums more affordable.

In Georgia, the state’s 1.7 million uninsured residents could get coverage through the health insurance exchange and 897,000 residents could qualify for tax credits to help them purchase health coverage, the report said.

Additionally, 106,000 small businesses could get a small business tax credit to help with their insurance premiums, according to the report.

But for Rick Pewitt, of Summerville, Ga., who said he is opposed to the administration’s reform plans, those potential benefits are secondary to the immediate need to get health care costs under control.

“The government can’t manage Medicare, so how are they going to manage anything several times larger?” he said. “They need to figure out how to pay for what they’ve already spent.”

Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen seemed initially taken aback when he heard the administration’s figures, but that softened somewhat when informed by a reporter that it included estimates for people who would participate in the state-level insurance exchanges that would be created.

“I’d want to look at those numbers,” he said, but quickly added, “just to be clear, I’m not disputing the number.”

He said he would like to hear from his TennCare director, Darin Gordon, on the estimates.

The report comes as U.S. Senate Democrats quarreled on Sunday network news programs over the shape reforms should take, even after the chamber’s 60-39 vote Saturday night to begin debate on a bill.

Gov. Bredesen, a Democrat, has raised concerns that the U.S. Senate bill as drafted would impose about $750 million in additional costs to the state over a five-year period, while the U.S. House bill would cost the state nearly double that.

Both bills use Medicaid, a state and federally funded program, to help expand coverage to millions more people.

The White House report says that, if no actions are taken, the number of insured people will grow by more than 30 percent in 29 states and by at least 10 percent in every state. It also warns the amount of uncompensated care will more than double in 45 states.

Moreover, businesses in 27 states will see their insurance premiums more than double, and fewer people will have coverage through an employer if the “status quo” continues, the administration said in its news release.

Staff writer Emily Bregel contributed to this story.