Despite today’s announced opposition to the latest Obamacare repeal effort by U.S. Sen. John McCain, Tennessee’s U.S. senators said today the measure will help Tennessee with more money and more choices and they hope it passes the full Senate next week.
“If you are a Tennessean, no matter what side of the aisle you are on, you should be a strong supporter of Graham-Cassidy,” U.S. Sen. Bob Corker said about the health care reform plan drafted by GOP Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. “For people in our state who care about people having health care insurance, Graham-Cassidy is truly a Godsend.”
Although the 31 states that expanded Medicaid under Obamacare would get less federal dollars if the latest reform plan is adopted, U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander said Tennessee would get an extra billion a year for its TennCare program from 2020 to 2026 under the bill.
“We would get $6.7 billion more dollars in Tennessee over those six years than we would get under present law,” said Alexander, the chairman of the Senate health panel which conducted four hearings this month on revisions to Obamacare reforms.
Graham-Cassidy also would give states more flexibility in deciding what health benefits are covered by the health exchange plans and how the plans must operate in each state.