NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Another effort to expand the Tennessee’s Medicaid program has failed after the state’s Republican-dominated House refused to support an amendment on a bill on insurance coverage for certain cancer patients.
The failed amendment was brought by House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh, a Democrat from Ripley who is running for governor.
The amendment would have allowed the governor to expand TennCare, the state’s Medicaid program. Fitzhugh said on the House floor that he would be willing to impose work requirements on people and have them make small copayments.
House members voted 65-28 to reject the amendment.
The Legislature has shot down several attempts to expand Medicaid in Tennessee. A legislative cost analysis last year said nearly 294,000 Tennesseans would be eligible for health care if TennCare were expanded.
