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Democrats haven’t given up on Insure Tennessee

Sens. Becky Duncan Massey, R-Knoxville, and Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, await a vote in the Senate Health Committee on Feb. 4, 2015, on Gov. Bill Haslam's Medicaid expansion proposal. They both voted in favor of the measure that ultimately failed.
Sens. Becky Duncan Massey, R-Knoxville, and Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, await a vote in the Senate Health Committee on Feb. 4, 2015, on Gov. Bill Haslam's Medicaid expansion proposal. They both voted in favor of the measure that ultimately failed. Sens. Becky Duncan Massey, R-Knoxville, and Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, await a vote in the Senate Health Committee on Feb. 4, 2015, on Gov. Bill Haslam's Medicaid expansion proposal. They both voted in favor of the measure that ultimately failed.

By Andy Sher 4 min read

NASHVILLE — Democratic leaders are trying to revive Republican Gov. Bill Haslam’s Insure Tennessee plan that died in last week’s special session of the GOP-dominated General Assembly.

Democrats have a series of measures that include the initial resolution authorizing the plan and a bill to let Haslam proceed on his own without lawmakers’ approval. A third measure would allow some part-time state workers to join the same state taxpayer-supported health plan that most lawmakers as well as full-time employees are on.

“We may not all agree on the right approach, but we can’t sit by and do nothing,” Senate Minority Leader Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, told reporters at a news conference Thursday. “I think it’s time for the Legislature to stop coming up with excuses and start bringing forward ideas.”

Haslam’s proposal to use federal Medicaid dollars to extend health insurance coverage to 280,000 low-income Tennesseans died last week in the Senate Health Committee on a 7-4 vote.

Republican Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey, of Blountville, told reporters earlier Thursday that Haslam’s “market-driven” plan collapsed for lack of detail.