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Real, humane TennCare reforms save lives -- and money

More than 30 members of the General Assembly – from both political parties – signed on in September 2005 in support of a Special Legislative Session on TennCare. Many of them were moved to do so after hearing from TennCare enrollees -– and disenrollees -- who are desperate for health care. Soon after, the Governor attacked those legislators by implying that the Special Session is a ploy in support of an income tax.

"This is nothing but a political smear," said Rep. Frank Buck, D-Dowelltown. "I’ve fought an income tax for years and Gov. Bredesen knows it. This is about trying to help these people get health care."

"The governor knows that there’s no support in the General Assembly for an income tax, and that we already have the money we need in this program," said Tony Garr, longtime advocate for the Tennessee Health Care Campaign. "Shame on the governor for trying to intimidate these lawmakers by insinuating they’re for an income tax."

So why is the governor so afraid of a Special Session? Rep. Glen Casada (R-College Grove) said: "The Governor has shown no interest in rolling up his sleeves and actually doing the real work of reforming TennCare. To hide his mismanagement, he has stooped to political posturing."

Sen. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, said he was offended by the governor’s attempt to smear those who disagree with his cuts. "I think it’s despicable of the Governor to raise the specter of an income tax when he knows it’s not even a remote possibility…..The only tax I know of that has been proposed is the Cigarette Tax increase I and others proposed – and he actively fought that. But it would have raised more that $300 million for TennCare and would result in fewer people smoking."