#Health
Target:
Governor Bill Haslam, State of Tennessee
Region:
United States of America

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam is making a decision RIGHT NOW that will mean life or death for thousands of young people like us. This petition asks him to support Medicaid Expansion and Reform.

We are young people in New Transitions, an organization of youth 18 - 25 overcoming adversity and instability.

Where we live, young people don’t have parents with health insurance or bank accounts. Among our friends it often takes three or four years to get an associate’s degree. It’s hard to juggle classes when you work multiple part-time jobs.

None of our jobs come with benefits. Private health insurance rates are crazy. Basically, we don’t go to the doctor unless it’s a full-blown emergency. Sometimes it’s too late.

Governor Bill Haslam has the power to change all of that. Under the Affordable Care Act passed by Congress, Tennessee can adopt Medicaid Expansion and Reform to provide insurance for people like us whose income at or near the poverty line.

Medicaid Expansion and Reform will be controversial, even though the federal government will pay 90% of the cost. We need your support. Please join our petition drive. Help us tell Governor Bill Haslam to do what is right for Tennessee.

New Transititions: http://www.newtransitions.org

For more detailed information about Medicaid Expansion and Reform under the Affordable Care Act, see: http://www.kff.org/medicaid/quicktake_aca_medicaid.cfm

The cost of expanding access to health care for Tennessee will be small. To understand why, see http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparereport.jsp?rep=68&cat=17

Medicaid Expansion and Reform will have a positive effect on the Tennessee Economy. This article in U.S. News and World Report explains why: http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/economic-intelligence/2012/07/18/medicaid-expansion-is-a-good-deal-for-states-

We the undersigned respectfully call upon Governor Bill Haslam to lead the State of Tennessee to adopt Medicaid Expansion and Reform so that our young people will have health insurance during the transition between high school and productive, full-time employment.

GoPetition respects your privacy.

The Health Care for Youth TN petition to Governor Bill Haslam, State of Tennessee was written by New Transitions and is in the category Health at GoPetition.