An accessible healthcare
system means Tennesseans who cannot acquire private health
insurance will have a place to turn. Our
state-sponsored healthcare system, however, must be a safety-net,
not a hammock, for those requiring both permanent and temporary
assistance.
Enrollees should be offered flexibility and choice
of plans, including benefits, co-pays and deductibles to balance
individual needs and financial capabilities.
However, any plan that uses tax dollars to provide
access to healthcare should encourage personal responsibility for care and
strong incentives for healthy lifestyle choices.
Incentives should be offered to insurers willing
to cover uninsurables and employers who provide insurance benefits to
employees. The state should promote
private long-term care insurance
and expand home and community-based services
to those most in need.
