[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

I guess TN will need that income tax after all, then.

[Tennessee_Bob]

The order Wednesday imposes additional limitations on emergency supplies of medications and no longer requires the state to pay for services while an enrollee appeals a denial of coverage.

Well, that's a step in the right direction, at least, as long as they stand fast on their denials of services. The free med supply while awaiting approval/denial was so much crap. Limiting the RXs to five per month is a good step too, but watch how they work their way around it - they'll figure something out - someone is always trying to game the RX programs. And it damn well better eliminate the faux services - the rental car so a junkie can drive to his treatment.

[Coldwater Creek]

Why does no one ever say that this debacle was the brain child of Nerd Ray Wherter at the end of his tenure as Governor for his legacy. Nerd Ray is Al Gore's relative.

[FlingWingFlyer]

I don't do recreational drugs so can someone tell me why we need a "prekindergarten" program? Is it because the government wants control of people from the womb to the tomb? Kids need a chance to grow up. They can't do that by being thrown into school as soon as they are born. Teaching prekindergarteners how to masturbate and put condoms on cucumbers is a little over the edge don't you think?

[HighlyOpinionated]

I guess I can get into trouble now.

I have a friend whose father lives in Tennessee and has Muscular Dystrophy. He is self employed and barely earns enough to pay his bills. If it weren't for TennCare, the man would be six-feet under by now. The only thing between him and the grave is TennCare.

I can also see the other side of the coin. Medically we are able to keep people alive long after they would have died had "natural selection" been operative.

I was so nearsighted before I got glasses that I would have probably fallen off a cliff somewhere or into a fire and died at an early age, had it not been for glasses. Babies are born with congenital abnormalities and are kept alive to procreate and pass along their defective genes so that their children have more severe abnormalities. And some researchers think that natal-stemcells are the answer. (Watch it be something like Botulism. Or some poisonous mushroom.)

What I'm trying to say is that every human has some kind of a "handicap" or a disability which they pass along to their children and grandchildren, etc. What did a disabled person do before Medicaid and TennCare and other State/Federal health programs?

I think they died early deaths. I'm sure I would have been among them.

BUT is it really the State or Federal Government's place to provide Medical Insurance to anyone? Even the poorest and sickest among us? Is "tax-funded healthcare" just keeping sick people alive longer so that they can die of some additional illness?

As a people, can we allow "natural selection" when it comes to preventable illnesses or illnesses with side-effects which can be controlled? Who ultimately is responsible for 'your' health? The State or the Federal Government? Or 'you'? And who's going to pay for it?

Told you I was going to get into trouble at the top of the post and you didn't believe me.

[Fledermaus]

Step One: Bait

Step Two: Switch

What a joke. All the "press" reports today in the local papers was "97,000 of the most needy might not be cut from the TennCare rolls".

Oh please. TennCare could got quadruple that from among the dead, the rich, those that CAN get insurance but don't, illegal aliens, duplication (most so-called "homeless" bums have 3-5 cards), people that aren't Tenn residents, etc.

The gullable idiots among our citizens have been falling for this sham for decades. I'm sick of paying for it and will vote against any political hack, regardless of party, that thinks it's vital.

[KevinDavis]

Are you sure we want this guy as Presdient???