Bill Haslam

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Republican Gov. Bill Haslam is putting his goals for a special Tennessee deal for Medicaid expansion into writing.

The governor said speaking to the Nashville Rotary Club today that the letter sent to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius sums up efforts by his administration to negotiate a special arrangement for the state.

Haslam in March declined $1.4 billion in federal funds to cover about 140,000 uninsured Tennesseans under the terms the money was offered. He has had several discussions with Sebelius about his proposal to use the federal money to subsidize private insurance.

The governor told reporters that he had not cleared the letter with fellow Republicans in the Legislature like Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey, who have said they would oppose expansion in any form.