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Some concern in Oak Ridge as Congress considers repealing Affordable Care Act

Posted at 11:49 pm July 27, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Protesters express their opposition to the health care vote in May by U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann, a Tennessee Republican, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Rocky Top post office on May 9, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Protesters express their opposition to the health care vote in May by U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann, a Tennessee Republican, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Rocky Top post office on May 9, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The U.S. Senate continued to debate a potential repeal of at least part of the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare,” on Thursday night. It’s not clear what the Senate will eventually approve.

It’s also not clear what type of agreement the Senate can reach with the U.S. House of Representatives, if the Senate passes a bill. The House has already passed its own bill, the American Health Care Act.

On Thursday night, the Senate debate was focused on a so-called “skinny repeal,” which would roll back parts of the Affordable Care Act, or ACA. It would repeal the mandates that most people have health insurance and that large employers cover their employees, but it would leave most of the health law in place, The New York Times reported.

It wasn’t clear if the Republican-controlled Senate had the votes to advance the legislation.

The vote on “skinny repeal” expected tonight comes after Senate Republicans were unable to reach consensus on broader legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act and after an earlier repeal bill failed on Wednesday.

The health care debate in the Senate started with a 51-50 vote on Tuesday.

As the health care debate has played out in Congress this year, there has been some concern in Oak Ridge and Anderson County over the potential repeal of the Affordable Care Act, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama in March 2010. It’s considered his signature domestic legislative achievement.

There has also been some concern here over possible Medicaid cuts. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Government, Health, Top Stories Tagged With: ACA, Affordable Care Act, American Health Care Act, Anderson Walsh, Ann Walsh, Arc of Tennessee, Barack Obama, Bob Corker, CBO, Chuck Fleischmann, Congress, Congressional Budget Office, Emory Valley Center, health care bill, individual mandate, Jennifer Enderson, Jim Nelson, Joan Nelson, Lamar Alexander, Medicaid, Medicaid cuts, Obamacare, pre-existing conditions, skinny repeal, TennCare, U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate

Lunch with the League to feature the ‘alphabet soup’ of health care

Posted at 5:12 pm March 16, 2017
By Maureen Hoyt Leave a Comment

Matt Tillery

Matt Tillery

A guest speaker at Lunch with the League on Tuesday will help decipher the “alphabet soup” of health care, a press release said.

Guest speaker Matt Tillery, director of community services for Cherokee Health Systems, will give a brief history of the Affordable Care Act, Tennessee’s Medicare and Medicaid programs, and resources available to those who are eligible for these services, the press release said.

Tillery will speak specifically on community mental health clinics and federally qualified health care centers, and what these types of service locations mean to community members, the press release said. The program will start at noon Tuesday, March 21, in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Health Tagged With: Affordable Care Act, Cherokee Health Systmes, community mental health clinics, health care, health care centers, Health Care for the Homeless Clinic, Knox Area Rescue Ministries, League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge, Lunch with League, Matt Tillery, Medicaid, Medicare, Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, Tennessee, Trinity Medical Respite Program

Dr. William Culbert to discuss Affordable Care Act on Aug. 22

Posted at 11:29 am August 6, 2016
By Kay Brookshire Leave a Comment

William Culbert

William Culbert

William Culbert Jr., MD, a family practice physician who is an advocate of the Affordable Care Act, will be the guest speaker at the Monday, August 22, dinner meeting of the Anderson County Democratic Women’s Club. The club meets at 6 p.m. in the Club Room of the Clinton Community Center at 101 South Hicks Street in Clinton.

Dr. Culbert will speak on “Progress with the Affordable Care Act and Next Step.”

Culbert has written several guest newspaper columns supporting the Affordable Care Act and the comprehensive health insurance reforms that the federal law, also known as Obamacare, brings.

Board certified in family practice medicine, Culbert has been a physician with Covenant Health Systems in Anderson County for 17 years. He is a 1996 graduate of Quillen College of Medicine in Johnson City, Tennessee, receiving his MD degree. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Front Page News, Government, Health Tagged With: Affordable Care Act, Anderson County Democratic Women’s Club, Ann Mostoller, Betsy Speed, Clinton Community Center, Democrats, MD, William Culbert

Reminder: Jan. 31 is the deadline for enrolling in health insurance for 2016 under ACA

Posted at 6:04 pm January 26, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

David Vudragovich

David Vudragovich

The deadline to sign up for a health insurance plan for 2016 under the Affordable Care Act is Sunday, January 31. Enrolling by then will provide a plan that starts on March 1.

If you do not enroll by January 31, the only way to enroll in coverage is if you have a special enrollment situation, such as a marriage, divorce, or birth of a child, or change jobs, etc.

Insurance agent David Vudragovich can help you with your health insurance needs. His office is located at 1970 Oak Ridge Highway (also known as Oak Ridge Turnpike and State Route 61), east of Elza Gate in Oak Ridge, at the first stop light in the county headed toward Clinton.

Vudragovich can help with health, life, and supplemental insurance; Medicare; and long-term care and retirement. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Front Page News, Health, Meetings and Events, Oak Ridge Tagged With: ACA, Affordable Care Act, David Vudragovich, health insurance

Affordable Care Act enrollment rescheduled for Wednesday

Posted at 4:36 pm January 25, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

A rescheduled Affordable Care Act enrollment event will be Wednesday.

The enrollment event has been rescheduled from Saturday, January 23, to Wednesday, January 27, because of the weather last week.

The enrollment event is still at the Oak Ridge Public Library, and it’s from 4-8:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Library Auditorium. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Front Page News, Government, Health, Meetings and Events, Oak Ridge Tagged With: Affordable Care Act, enrollment, Oak Ridge Public Library

Candidate visit: Cruz vows to repeal ‘Obamacare,’ calls for abolishing IRS

Posted at 3:15 am December 27, 2015
By John Huotari 4 Comments

Ted-Cruz-Sign-Farragut-High-Dec-23-2015

Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz, a Texas senator, vowed to repeal the Affordable Care Act, commonly called “Obamacare,” and he also called for abolishing the Internal Revenue Service during a stop at Farragut High School on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1 p.m.

FARRAGUT—Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz vowed to repeal the Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as “Obamacare,” and he also called for abolishing the Internal Revenue Service during a stop at Farragut High School on Tuesday.

Cruz spoke for about 30 minutes in the Farragut High gym before a standing-room-only crowd of roughly 2,000 people, who helped him celebrate his 45th birthday with a birthday song and cake. The East Tennessee rally was held a little more than two months before the March 1 “SEC primary.”

A first-term Texas senator, Cruz said he plans to rescind every unconstitutional executive order, ask the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate Planned Parenthood, end the persecution of religious liberties, and “rip to shreds” the Iranian nuclear deal, which he called “catastrophic.”

Cruz also said the U.S. Department of Education should be abolished, and welfare benefits should end for people who are in the country illegally. He pledged to protect the constitutional right to keep and bear arms, called for killing the Environmental Protection Agency, and jokingly compared regulators to locusts, with a difference being that pesticides can be used to control locusts. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Front Page News, Government, Government, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: Affordable Care Act, Ben Carson, Betsy Grace, Bob Dole, Bryan Davis, Donald Trump, Environmental Protection Agency, Farragut High School, Internal Revenue Service, Iranian nuclear deal, IRS, ISIS, Jeb Bush, John Kasich, John McCain, Mitch McConnell, Obamacare, Planned Parenthood, Republican presidential candidate, Ronald Reagan, SEC primary, Ted Cruz, U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Justice, Wall Street Journal

Lunch with League: Impact of Affordable Care Act on Free Medical Clinic

Posted at 8:08 am April 7, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Teresa Brittain

Teresa Brittain

Teresa Brittain, executive director of the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge, will discuss the continuing need for charitable healthcare facilities—even in the era of the Affordable Care Act—during a lunchtime meeting today (Tuesday, April 7).

Brittain will be the guest speaker at Lunch with the League at noon Tuesday in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, which is located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Health, Meetings and Events, Nonprofits, Top Stories Tagged With: Affordable Care Act, FMCOR, Free Medical Clinic, Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge, free medical services, health care, League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge, LWVOR, medical services, Teresa Brittain

Haslam makes case for Insure Tennessee

Posted at 10:21 pm February 2, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Bill Haslam during Presidential Visit at Pellissippi State

Governor Bill Haslam is pictured above during a visit by President Barack Obama at Pellissippi State Community College on Friday, January 9. (Photo by Rob Welton)

 

Governor says his plan provides health care coverage to more Tennesseans at no cost to the state

NASHVILLE—Tennessee Govenor Bill Haslam on Monday evening addressed a joint convention of the 109th General Assembly as legislators began an extraordinary legislative session to consider his Insure Tennessee plan.

The proposal, a two-year pilot program to provide market-based health care coverage to more than 250,000 Tennesseans who currently don’t have access to health insurance or have limited options, does not create any new taxes for Tennesseans and will not add any state cost to the budget, the governor’s office said.

“Two years ago, the General Assembly made two requests of us,” Haslam said in a press release. “First, to bring a unique and specific plan to Tennessee that met the needs of our citizens and was financially responsible for our state and the country, and secondly, to bring that plan back to the General Assembly for a vote.

“I have done both of those things. This plan is overwhelmingly supported by Republicans and Democrats in our state. Tonight, I am asking for your vote to help Insure Tennessee.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Government, Health, State, Top Stories Tagged With: Affordable Care Act, Bill Haslam, Democrats, health care, health care costs, health care coverage, Insure Tennessee, legislative session, Obamacare, Republicans, special session, Tennessee General Assembly, U.S. Supreme Court, uninsured Tennesseans

Pellissippi State transcript: Obama proposes free community college for two years

Posted at 8:49 pm January 12, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

President Barack Obama

President Barack Obama

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT ON AMERICA’S COLLEGE PROMISE

This is a transcript of remarks made by President Barack Obama at Pellissippi State Community College in Hardin Valley in west Knox County on Friday, January 9. The president was at Pellissippi State to announce a proposal that would make community college free for two years to responsible students across the country. The proposal is modeled on the relatively new Tennessee Promise.

Friday’s visit was the first by a president to Pellissippi State.

Pellissippi State Community College

Knoxville, Tennessee

2:05 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody!  (Applause.)  Hey!  Thank you!  (Applause.)  Thank you so much.  Thank you.  Thank you, everybody.  Thank you.  Everybody, please have a seat.  Please have a seat.  Well, it is good to be back in Tennessee.  I hope you guys aren’t getting tired of me.  I’ve been coming around a lot lately, because there’s a lot of good stuff happening here.

I want to begin by thanking Joe and Jill Biden.  They’re not just good friends and good partners, but they really believe in the power of education and they really believe in creating those kinds of ladders of opportunity that gave all three of us and Michelle the chances, the incredible opportunities that we’ve had today.  And they understand the promise of America’s community colleges.  Well, Jill really understands it, and Joe — (laughter) — he doesn’t really have a choice.

Before I get into the reason that I’m here today, I want to begin by saying just a few words about the tragic events that we’ve watched unfold in France over the last several hours and days.  And because events have been fast-moving this morning, I wanted to make sure to comment on them. [Read more…]

Filed Under: College, Education, Federal, Front Page News, Government Tagged With: Affordable Care Act, America's College Promise, Anthony Wise, auto industry, Barack Obama, Bill Haslam, Bob Corker, college degree, education, France, homeownership, Jill Biden, jobs, Joe Biden, John Duncan, Knoxville, Lamar Alexander, Madeline Rogero, Maryville College, Pellissippi State Community College, Rahm Emanuel, State of the Union, technical training, Tennessee Promise, transcript, workforce

Gov. Haslam announces Insure Tennessee plan

Posted at 11:24 am December 29, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Governor Bill Haslam

Bill Haslam

NASHVILLE—Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam this month unveiled his Insure Tennessee plan, a two-year pilot program to provide health care coverage to Tennesseans who currently don’t have access to health insurance or have limited options. The program rewards healthy behaviors, prepares members to transition to private coverage, promotes personal responsibility, and incentivizes choosing preventative and routine care instead of unnecessary use of emergency rooms, a press release said.

The governor announced that he plans to call a special session to focus on the proposal after the 109th General Assembly convenes in January.

“We made the decision in Tennessee nearly two years ago not to expand traditional Medicaid,” Haslam said in the press release. “This is an alternative approach that forges a different path and is a unique Tennessee solution. This plan leverages federal dollars to provide health care coverage to more Tennesseans, to give people a choice in their coverage, and to address the cost of health care, better health outcomes, and personal responsibility. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Government, Health, State, Top Stories Tagged With: Affordable Care Act, Bill Haslam, Delivery System Reform Intiative, General Assembly, health care, health care coverage, health insurance, health insurance voucher, Health Reimbursement Accounts, healthy behaviors, Healthy Incentives for Tennesseans, Healthy Incentives Plan, HHS, HIT, HRA, Insure Tennessee, Lamar Alexander, Medicaid, personal responsibility, private coverage, routine care, Tenn Care, Tennessee Hospital Association, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Volunteer Plan

UT study: Percentage of uninsured in Tennessee at its lowest in a decade

Posted at 12:47 pm November 17, 2014
By University of Tennessee Leave a Comment

KNOXVILLE—The percentage of uninsured Tennesseans is at its lowest rate in a decade, according to a report released Monday by the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

The report shows that 7.2 percent of Tennessee’s 6.5 million residents are uninsured, a 25 percent decrease from last year. The report also shows that 2.4 percent of children in the state are without insurance, a 35 percent decrease from last year.

The findings are included in “The Impact of TennCare: A Survey of Recipients 2014,” prepared by UT’s Center for Business and Economic Research, or CBER. The report’s authors are Angela Thacker, CBER research associate, and LeAnn Luna, CBER associate professor.

The declines coincide with the establishment of the Health Insurance Marketplace, which was put into place in early 2014 through the Affordable Care Act. The act also has had an impact on the state’s Medicaid program, TennCare, which has experienced the third highest new enrollment in its 20-year history. [Read more…]

Filed Under: College, Education, Federal, Government, Health, Top Stories Tagged With: Affordable Care Act, Angela Thacker, CBER, Center for Business and Economic Research, children, enrollment, health insurance marketplace, insurance status, LeAnn Luna, Medicaid, medical attention, satisfaction, TennCare, Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration, The Impact of TennCare: A Survey of Recipients 2014, uninsured, uninsured Tennesseans, University of Tennessee, UT

Supreme Court justices campaign to stay on bench

Posted at 2:29 am August 6, 2014
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Tom Beehan and Gary Wade

Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Gary Wade, right, talks to reporters during a campaign stop at Razzleberry’s Ice Cream Lab and Kitchen on Thursday. Also pictured is Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan.

 

In most elections, voters don’t pay much attention to the retention elections for judges.

This year, though, the decision on whether to keep three of the five Tennessee Supreme Court justices on the bench is one of the most closely watched races in the state. More than $1 million has already been spent.

The three judges facing retention elections this Thursday—Chief Justice Gary Wade and Justices Sharon Lee and Cornelia Clark—were in Oak Ridge last Thursday trying to convince local voters to let them keep their jobs for another eight years.

Appointed by former Governor Phil Bredesen, the justices said they’re fighting out-of-state money and inaccurate portrayals of their work. They’re battling back against what they consider an attempt to introduce partisan politics into the courtroom.

“Partisan politics has no role in courts of law,” Wade said.

“We want to preserve fair and impartial courts,” Lee said. “When you put politics in the courtroom, you push the Constitution out.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, Government, Slider, State, Tennessee, Top Stories Tagged With: Affordable Care Act, AFP, Americans for Prosperity, Beth Harwell, Bob Cooper, campaign, Charles Koch, chief justice, Constitution, Cornelia Clark, courtroom, David Koch, fair and impartial, Gary Wade, judges, Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission, justices, Obamacare, partisan politics, Penny White, Razzleberry’s, retention election, Riley Anderson, Ron Ramsey, Sharon Lee, Tennessee Bar Association, Tennessee Forum, Tennessee Supreme Court

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Classifieds

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