Tennessee health care cuts amount to murder
Pre-meditated murder is what many are calling health care cuts in Tennessee.
A battle is unfolding in Tennessee to reverse the cuts to TennCare, the state's Medicaid program for 1.3 million adults and children, and, ultimately, to stop the destruction of social health care programs in this country. The governor announced his plans to "reform" TennCare in January 2004. The actual cuts started in July 2005 and are continuing.
The People's Tribune recently interviewed Lori Smith, a Medicaid recipient and member of the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign from Tennessee. She has MS and Lupus and has been cut off Medicaid. She is helping to spearhead protest activities.
People's Tribune: What has been the impact on people?
Lori Smith: The impact has been horrific. The sickest people have been cut. Those who remain on the program -- many of whom are very sick and/or disabled -- are now limited to only 5 prescriptions a month and 12 doctor visits per year. People have been losing their jobs, their homes and going bankrupt. And many people are dying. One chronically ill man committed suicide so he wouldn't have to be a "burden" to his wife and children. The suffering is beyond comprehension. And we must not overlook the negative impact these cuts are having on the economy, including hospitals and clinics. People working to reverse these cuts include TennCare enrollees/disenrollees, concerned citizens and many advocacy groups throughout the state.
PT: Why are these cuts being made?
LS: There is a health care crisis in this country and people are waking up to this fact. And the gap between rich and poor is getting wider. The for-profit health care industry and the politicians who are beholden to it know there is growing support for national health care that would cover everyone. This is a threat to their profits and power and they will do anything to protect their interests.
Gov. Bredesen is a self-made millionaire from the HMO industry. He aspires for a higher political office, perhaps the presidency, and believes in for-profit health care and the free market. And, he wants to "reform" the entire nation's Medicaid program. He is using the TennCare issue as a platform for political gain. He created an artificial crisis and said that TennCare and the state budget were in worse condition than they actually were. He planned to "front load" the cuts in 2005 and "add back" in 2006, just prior to the gubernatorial elections. He refused to allow for any cost saving alternatives to be considered. This information was found in documents turned over by the state, when they were sued for failing to provide requested information to reporters and legislators. It's been a very sophisticated and well-thought out plan. Pre-meditated murder is what many are calling it.
If he can make it look like he "fixed the TennCare "crisis" then he will be heralded as a health care guru who can fix our broken health care system, which postures him for a presidential candidate and/or a leader for health care reform in this country. I predict he will use TennCare as a platform to aggressively push the for-profit HMO industry's agenda by promoting "consumer driven" programs such as Health Saving Accounts as an alternative for the uninsured population. This is not a solution for the working poor or even for the middle class. It's a "profits before people" philosophy.
PT: What are the people fighting this trying to achieve and what strategies are you using?
LS: First, we are trying to restore the cuts that have been implemented. Second, we are working for "reform" that doesn't harm. Third, we want health insurance/access to health care for everyone. We've been fighting on many fronts employing different strategies. We have been lobbying legislators, developing cost-saving and safe reform proposals, holding town hall meetings throughout the state, conducting petition drives, writing letters to the editors, getting personal stories in the media, holding rallies and using direct action on occasion. In June, a group of enrollees and concerned citizens occupied the Governor's office demanding a stop to the cuts. The "sit-in" is the longest in US history, lasting nearly 77 days and nights.
The TennCare cuts are the largest and most drastic in the history of the United States. We knew that whatever happened in Tennessee would be trendsetting for the rest of the country. We are now seeing deep cuts being proposed in other states.
I believe we can save TennCare if we continue to build a grassroots movement and unite to work for change. But it won't be easy and it will get worse before it gets better. This goes much deeper than Tennessee politics. We're up against one of the largest, most powerful and most politically influential industries in the world: The for-profit health care industry.
