Category: Disability

Dear Governor Haslam

Larry Drain, Legislative Liaison on State Legislative Affairs, is writing a letter each day to Governor Haslam urging him to accept Medicaid Expansion for Tennessee. Thousands of our fellow consumers are needlessly suffering as a direct result of the Governor's rejection of Medicaid Expansion as offered in the ACA. These consumer's mental health will continue to deteriorate until mental health care is provided and the mental health care system in Tennessee is improved and expanded. This blog is established to give a platform for the presentation of Larry's letters.

Post your personal letter
DBSA Tennessee FB Page

Dear Governor Haslam: Eleventh Letter

6/1/2014

0 Comments

The 11th letter: Expansion is working

Dear Governor Haslam:

This is my 11th letter to you.

It works. Expansion works. The evidence below talks about the hospitals all over the country it is making a difference in. Please read it and think about it.

It is good for the people. It is good for business. It is good for the state. It would be good for Tennessee.

Please act.

Until tomorrow.

Yours truly,

Larry Drain

http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2014/May/27/Safety-Net-Hospitals-Seeing-More-Patients-And-Money.aspx?utm_campaign=KHN%3A+First+Edition&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=12889701&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8MLuuHds-MWsfBBw_qficPdbv3bbjcQ09WeIRWGNjvc2i4Iblp4izuGIJLmvDOfbfpzaQFWtuoRGwQn8X-kl5ecBnmKA&_hsmi=12889701

Posted on May 28, 2014

0 Comments

Dear Governor Haslam: A Second Tenth Letter

6/1/2014

0 Comments

A second tenth letter: more to sayDear Governor Haslam:

Please forgive me, but this is the second tenth letter. Reading back over the last letter there was something more I wanted to say. And it seemed an important way to end the first ten letters.

There is a big gap in Tennessee between those who believe their voice counts and those who believe they have no voice. If you are poor the overwhelming message right now is that your voice is not important. There are people whose life is in danger right from lack of medical care now who believe it is pointless to speak and if they do it should always be with apology. As Governor that should alarm and scare you. The overwhelming message they get is that they are disposable and their lives an inconvenience.

People who are poor, who have no insurance, who are sick or have family sick no longer believe anyone listens and that even their screams and cries are as a whisper.

It is accepted as common wisdom in this state that it is pointless to talk about TennCare expansion. Any reporter, any political figure will tell you it isnt going anywhere.

If people lose faith in the government do we not in the end lose faith in each other and eventually in ourselves?? As Governor my prayer is that you find a way to reach out to people who are convinced that you dont care and tell them you do. We really need that right now.

I really struggled with the decision to even start writing these letters. There was a part of me that said “what’s the point? Really what is the point??”

I came to believe that this was about much more than rather or not in the end you agree with me. In some sense it was about soul, about voice, about encouraging others and especially encouraging me not to give up on the fundamental decency of my neighbors.

Governor Haslam we could use some help here. Sometimes it feels like there is no one at the other end of the line.

Please expand TennCare. You can start by resuming the conversation. We are counting on you and really need your voice.

Until tomorrow.

Yours truly,

Larry Drain

0 Comments

Dear Governor Haslam: Tenth Letter

6/1/2014

0 Comments

The 10th letter: Why not TennesseeDear Governor Haslam:

This is my 10th letter to you.

It asks a simple question. Why not Tennessee??

The video below explains what it now means to be a Kentuckian. I look forward to the day when you can have the same discussion about what it means to be a Tennessean.

Beshear: Expanding Medicaid will create stronger …:http://youtu.be/Ck6JmfkBu3c.

Until tomorrow,

Yours truly,

Larry Drain

0 Comments

Disability

6/1/2014

0 Comments

Disability
by hopeworkscommunity

A note to readers. Tomorrows letter will be on disability and Tenn Care expansion. You do not want to miss it. If you do not know how Tenn Care expansion affects people with disability you will be astounded. Please pass the word on to your mailing lists. It is that important.

hopeworkscommunity | May 28, 2014 at 3:27 pm

0 Comments

Dear Governor Haslam

6/1/2014

0 Comments

Dear Governor Haslam
by hopeworkscommunity

This is the first of many letters to you.

I am hoping you will listen to what me and so many other Tennesseans are saying and reconsider your stance and publicly make a stand for Medicaid expansion. I have waited for some sign of action on your part and honestly have seen none. The legislature may have made it much more difficult for you to act, but the choice to speak is yours.

I realize that you will probably not see this letter. There are many people between me and you and I dont know when or if they will even let you know I exist. I am convinced though in the long term that the voice of ordinary people make a difference and whether or not me speaking makes a difference to you it makes a difference to me. So I will speak.

As I said this is the first of many letters. As much as I can I will write you every day talking about some aspect of the issue with you. As I find it I will share information and articles. I will talk about my story and share the stories of others.

The lack of medicaid expansion has profoundly affected my life. It has changed the way I live and the way my family lives in profound ways. I will tell you my story tomorrow. I want to keep these posts as short and to the point as I can. I appreciate you, or whoever your person is taking the time to read and dont want to abuse that time.

My most profound hope is that you are about more than politics or what the current political reality is. I hope other things are much more important and it is based on that hope I write.

Thank you very much;

Larry Drain

hopeworkscommunity | May 19, 2014 at 4:53 pm

0 Comments

Forward>>

Author

Larry Drain, Legislative Liaison on State Legislative Affairs
NOTE: Join me by clicking on the button to write your own letter to Governor Haslam

Dear Governor Haslam

Dear Governor Haslam: Eleventh Letter

Dear Governor Haslam: A Second Tenth Letter

Dear Governor Haslam: Tenth Letter

Disability

Dear Governor Haslam

Author

Archives

Categories