Tennessee's proposed Medicaid expansion touted as 'one of the most unique' plans in the nation

January 14, 2015 at 11:24 a.m. | Updated January 14, 2015 at 2:49 p.m.

by Louie Brogdon

FILE - In this Dec. 2, 2014 file photo Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam speaks at the state Capitol in Nashville, Tenn. Governors across the political spectrum are hitting a roadblock in their bids to expand Medicaid with federal funds: Republican legislators who adamantly oppose “Obamacare.” While some of these governors themselves have criticized the president’s health care law in general, they’ve come to see one component -- Medicaid expansion -- as too generous to reject. But they’re battling conservative lawmakers who say it’s better to turn down billions of federal dollars than to expand Medicaid under the 2010 law. (AP Photo/Erik Schelzig, File)
FILE - In this Dec. 2, 2014 file photo Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam speaks at the state Capitol in Nashville, Tenn. Governors across the political spectrum are hitting a roadblock in their bids to expand Medicaid with federal funds: Republican legislators who adamantly oppose “Obamacare.” While some of these governors themselves have criticized the president’s health care law in general, they’ve come to see one component -- Medicaid expansion -- as too generous to reject. But they’re battling conservative lawmakers who say it’s better to turn down billions of federal dollars than to expand Medicaid under the 2010 law. (AP Photo/Erik Schelzig, File)

Gov. Bill Haslam's office took advantage of a captive audience of about 900 people to tout Haslam's proposed Medicaid expansion.

Haslam Chief of Staff Mark Cate told members of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce and Chattanooga and county government officials at an annual business breakfast the governor's proposed Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act would bring health care to an estimated 200,000 Tennesseans.

Dubbed Insure Tennessee, Cate called Haslam's program "one of the most unique" plans nationwide and described it as being "in the direction of a block grant."

Cate urged the audience to look into the plan and contact legislators ahead of the Feb. 2 special session Haslam called to discuss the program.

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