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Supporters seek to revive Tennessee Medicaid expansion plan

house.gov

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Supporters of a failed plan to expand Medicaid in Tennessee are renewing an effort to try to pass it after a recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold health insurance subsidies.

Tennessee Democratic Congressman Jim Cooper was among those at a news conference on Monday in support of Insure Tennessee, Republican Gov. Bill Haslam's plan to extend coverage to 280,000 low-income Tennesseans.

The plan was rejected twice early this year by the General Assembly.

However, Cooper and state lawmakers attending Monday's event called on their fellow colleagues to take up the plan again, particularly after last Thursday's ruling by the Supreme Court upholding health insurance subsidies in states that do not operate their own insurance exchanges.

The ruling means that more than 155,000 Tennesseans who use the subsidies will not lose their health insurance.