This year’s State of the State Address was filled with standing ovations and eloquent speech but what was not heard on the radio was the reaction in the galleries to the removal of 323,000 Tennesseans from the state insurance of TennCare.
On Jan. 31 in the State Capitol Building, Governor Phil Bredesen delivered his third State of the State Address. The 104th General Assembly along with a standing room only crowd gathered to hear Bredesen’s speech.
Bredesen began with his proposal of, “a common sense budget without new taxes.” He proposed $194 million to public education, also more job training and availability as well as preserving the environment.
Twenty-four minutes into Bredeson’s 28 minute address, TennCare became the focus. Obviously a hot topic, it was saved until last.
Almost instantly banners appeared on both sides of the gallery proclaiming “323 Thousand at Risk.” The banners referred to the 323,000 individuals scheduled to be dropped from TennCare.
These banners were quickly confiscated by security.
The TennCare program, which was installed by former Tennessee Governor Ned Mcwherter in 1994, was to relieve the state from the expense of Medicaid.
According to Kaiser Statehealthfacts.org, U.S. Census Bureau, Tennessee is ranked No. 1 at 22.3 percent of the population covered by health plan. After this change in TennCare, the state will rank No. 7 with 17.3 percent of the population covered.
Eric Lewis, a 55-year-old man in Nashville stood to represent his family and many others in Tennessee.
Along with his mask, he held a sign reading, “Bredesen’s Creditability R.I.P.” He was one of a hand full with such mask and signs.
Lewis, who has a daughter and two grandchildren on TennCare worries that his daughter will be dropped. He said, “We know the money is there, Bredesen needs to do some juggling and take some risk.”
He said officials have assured them that the money is there.
Lewis cited a study by the Center for Health Services saying that an estimate one person in every 20 hours will die as a result of the drop in TennCare. “I don’t want my grandson to be one of them,” Lewis said.
One of his grandsons has asthma that sends him to the emergency room about every six months.
When Bredesen was elected in 2002, he promised to control the TennCare cost, but was unable to do so.
According to a briefing from the Governor’s Communication Office, in 2004 reform presented and passed by the General Assembly in May of that year was blocked by the Tennessee Justice Center.
The Tennessee Justice Center executive director, Gordon Bonnyman refused to cooperate with Bredesen and former Governor McWherter, “citing an unbridgeable philosophical difference.”
This act results in the current situation where, “the threat of ongoing litigation makes reductions unavoidable,” Bredesen said.

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