Thursday, January 22, 2009

TennCare fight is ours to wage now, not later

The fight to protect the most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters on the state's Medicaid program called TennCare is now in our hands before the governor makes decisions and an economic stimulus plan is passed and signed into law.

We must be about preparing the ground for the political fight to come in Tennessee. And it is best we start in two ways:

One, start calling and e-mailing the governor's office. Tell him that the stimulus package will contain enough money to keep everyone on TennCare. Tell him not to use recipients as more fodder for his budget cuts as he has done since 2005. Those cuts resulted in the deaths of at least two dozen Tennesseans.

Contact:

Governor's Office, Tennessee State Capitol Nashville, TN 37243-0001. Phone: 615.741.2001. Fax: 615.532.9711. Email: phil.bredesen@state.tn.us

Second, get involved in the organizing meetings in your community through the Tennessee Health Care Coalition. In Nashville, come to an organizing meeting for Middle Tennessee residents on Saturday evening beginning at 6. Light refreshments will be offered. I hope to be there to offer encouragement and provide coverage.

Don't worry. I won't use your name unless you want.

The gathering will be at the Tennessee Disability Coalition, 955 Woodland St., Nashville. RSVP and/ or questions should go to: Christina Kretchik, Middle Tennessee Regional Organizer -- 615-227-7500 office, 615-829-4880 cell, e-mail ckretchik@thcc2.org.

Get involved now so we can be on the offensive and stop the governor from gutting TennCare again.

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