Under the deal, the Tennessee Hospital Association will fund the state’s contribution, according to the report.
Providing funding for expansion was the only choice, Craig Becker, president of the Tennessee Hospital Association, told NPR.
“We basically left over $800 million on the table in federal dollars, which is a lot of money that could’ve done a lot of different things,” Mr. Becker said in the report in reference to the new Medicaid money Tennessee turned away this year. “Look, we’re stressed. Each individual hospital has gone to [Haslam] and said, ‘Look we’re gonna have to lay people off.’ We’ve seen layoffs here. We’ve seen hospitals close, and they’re saying, ‘We’re not just crying wolf here.'”
In the report, Tennessee Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey (R-Blountville) calls the deal an “opportunity that must be taken seriously.”
According to NPR, the deal “has paved the way for greater GOP support” for Tennessee’s alternative Medicaid expansion plan before state lawmakers meet in January.
More articles on Medicaid expansion:
Tennessee lawmakers looking for permanent fix to funding problem
Medicaid expansion update: 5 must-read stories
Medicaid expansion in North Carolina would mean job growth, study shows
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