NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Tennessee healthcare voters gathered at the State Capitol this week to rally for healthcare reform in the state.
According to the latest Vanderbilt poll, Tennessee voters want health care to be the top priority for elected officials.
Voters gathered with signs and photos at the press conference Monday, Jan. 7 to express their views about the current state of healthcare and health insurance in Tennessee.
Photos courtesy of Alex Kent, Tennessee Justice Center
“Tennessee’s free and charitable clinics are honored to play a critical role in addressing the healthcare needs of Tennessee’s uninsured. But we are a small part of the solution and many Tennesseans still suffer with health conditions that could be prevented or treated with timely access to care,” Mary Kiger, Executive Director of the TN Charitable Care Network said during the Jan. 7 press conference. “The members of the Tennessee Charitable Care Network support everyone having access to affordable health coverage. We implore Tennessee’s lawmakers to develop a plan that provides health care coverage to Tennessee’s 300,000+ uninsured citizens.”
Mothers of children who died from pre-existing conditions, people suffering from pre-existing conditions who were previously unable to gain access to healthcare, pastors, the uninsured, and representatives from statewide charitable organizations spoke at the event.
Those gathered addressed the closing of rural hospitals, rising costs of healthcare as well as pharmaceuticals, the addiction epidemic, the need for coverage for those with pre-existing conditions, and federal funding to close the current coverage gap in Tennessee.
“We all make mistakes. God knows I’ve made plenty. But my faith tells me that everyone is capable of redemption if given a genuine chance. Our legislature has the opportunity to help give people a chance,” Pastor Sonny Warmath of Mount Juliet said during the event. “To help folks who want to stop depending on drugs and alcohol to get through the day. To help hundreds of thousands of people across the state get access to treatment. I hope they take this opportunity seriously and put forth a plan that will fix our addiction crisis and benefit all of Tennessee.”