DBSA Tennessee Past President, S.L. Brannon
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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 
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Dear Governor Haslam: Tenth Letter

6/1/2014

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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

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Disability

6/1/2014

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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
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We now have a Facebook Page!

6/1/2014

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We now have a facebook page
by hopeworkscommunity


Check out and feel free to participate:  http//www.facebook.com/deargovernorhaslam


hopeworkscommunity | May 27, 2014 at 8:28 pm
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Reclaim the Conversation

6/1/2014

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Reclaim the conversation
by hopeworkscommunity

The dominant conversation about expanding TennCare defines opposition to expansion as being supportive of freedom and being for financially responsible choices. It is neither, but a conversation with such a dominant narrative is unlikely to be one we are effective in.

We must make an attempt to reclaim the conversation. In a small way that is what this website is trying to do.

I am starting to hear from other people who are joining the "Dear Governor Haslam" campaign. They too will be writing and asking others to join them. One major statewide organization has offered their support (Tennessee Health Care Campaign). Another major state organization has also offered their support and I hope to announce them by the end of the week.

Will you help? Help us to reclaim the conversation. Help make TennCare expansion possible and ultimately reality for so many.

hopeworkscommunity | May 25, 2014 at 10:13 pm
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Dear Governor Haslam: Seventh Letter

6/1/2014

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The seventh letter: justice
by hopeworkscommunity

Dear Governor Haslam: 

This is my seventh letter to you.

It will be brief.  Your job description is justice.  I really think it is that simple.  Your job is through your decisions, your leadership and your modeling to give the people of this state the fairest chance availible to live a good and decent life.  Period.  Everything else is gravy.

How can there be justice without healthcare justice?? Where is the justice when some people are disposable??  Where is the justice in a society that treats the less priveliged members of it as though they were burdens and cost too much.  If justice for you, for me, for anyone is purchased with the misfortune of others do any of us have any real justice??  Are not we all diminished??

It is about being the governor of all Tennesseans even when it makes those you seek political favor from angry.  It is not just about being right it is about being good.

I hope you have a great Memorial day..  While thinking about the sacrifices of so many to make this a great country I hope you consider the challenges ahead facing you to make Tennessee a great state with justice for all and a state where no one will die because they cant access adequate medical care we all should have.

Governor please stand up for all of us.  Expand medicaid.

Until tomorrow,

Yours truly.

Larry Drain.

hopeworkscommunity | May 24, 2014 at 4:01 am
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Tennessee Health Care Campaign joins me

6/1/2014

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I am very pleased to announce the support of the Tennessee Health Care Campaign for this website.  They will be posting all the letters written to Governor Haslam on their website.  Will you support the effort also??

If you will write to Governor Haslam and ask two friends to do the same and ask each of them to ask two friends before you know it we will begin to redefine the conversation about medicaid expansion.

Please take a few minutes of time each day.  A small investment of time could mean so much.

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Dear Governor Haslam: Sixth Letter

6/1/2014

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Dear Governor Haslam:

This is my sixth letter to you.

Not expanding medicaid makes it more dangerous for all Tennesseans, rather they have insurance or not.

One hospital has closed and it seems inevitable that others will close.  Tennesseans who live in rural communities will not have the same access to health care that others have.  Should healthcare next become a function of where you live as well as how much money you have.  We have begun the first steps down that path.  It will be a path of even further injustice, of further misery and sickness, and for some a path of unnecessary death.  You can stop it now.  Expand medicaid.

But it goes so much further than even that.  Big city hospitals like Erlanger are in trouble.  In the end there is a limit to how much uncompensated care anyone can eat.  Do you believe this is simply rhettoric??  This is not about Obama or democrats or republicans or tea party.  This is about people who entrusted you with the governship.  They dont owe you.  You owe them.

It is time to stop working on the Tennessee plan and make it work.  You can do better.

Where I live the hospital is losing more and more money with each day.  They dont publicize it because they are afraid of what it would do for public confidence but they are reducing staff.  There are not as many nurses, not as many other staff.  They shuffle and plug the best they can, but eventually there has to be a gap somewhere and there will be a tragedy.  Hopefully no one will die.  I dont think my hospital is the only one.

Not expanding medicaid increases the risk of all Tennesseans when in need and in good faith they seek medical care.  Without action on your part it can only get worse.  Please act now.  Acting will not get easier with waiting.  Isnt it time for you to take some political risk to lessen the medical risk of so many.

Thank you for listening.  I hope you have a great holiday.

Until tomorrow.

Yours truly,

Larry Drain

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Join me in writing letters to Dear Governor Haslam

6/1/2014

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Dear Governor Haslam
by hopeworkscommunity


Over the last week or so I have posted several posts from my new blog, "Dear Governor Haslam" on "Hopeworks Community" as a way to spread the word.  If you are interested in the subject of medicaid expansion or live in Tennessee I invite you to visit that blog and perhaps follow it.  After Tuesday unless the post has something to do with mental health posts from "Dear Governor Haslam will no longer appear on this blog.  Please join the conversation.  


Follow "Dear Governor Haslam. 
http://deargovernorhaslam.wordpress.com


hopeworkscommunity | May 24, 2014 at 1:54 pm
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Support of Letters to Governor Haslam

6/1/2014

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Dear Governor Haslam: Fifth Letter

6/1/2014

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The fifth letter: fearby hopeworkscommunityDear Governor Haslam,

This is my fifth letter to you.

It is about fear.  As much as anything else fear defines what it means to live without insurance:  fear of feeling bad, fear of needing medical care, fear of being told you need something for your health you cant buy, fear of going to the ER, fear of little diseases becoming big diseases, fear of not seeking help and hoping things will be okay, and a growing fear of the government and the growing conviction they think you cost too much and are really okay with you dying.

  I have no insurance and live in fear everyday.  I just dont understand how me being sick or even dying is something that has to happen so some politician can stand up and say he defends liberty.  I just dont get it.  How is denying me the care I need a defense of anyone's liberty??  Governor Haslam can you explain that to me??  How can allowing poor people to get sick or even die be good for Tennessee??  I dont believe you can really believe really believe that.

What if your only possible response to serious illness was to die??  That is the reality for many.

Again I ask you to be the governor of all Tennesseans.  Please speak for me.

The biggest thing I fear is your silence.  The maintanence of illness for poor people should never be the policy of a decent people.

Please speak.  Until tomorrow.

Yours truly,

Larry Drain


hopeworkscommunity | May 23, 2014 at 2:43 am
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    Larry Drain, Legislative Liaison on State Legislative Affairs
    NOTE: Join me by clicking on the button to write your own letter to Governor Haslam 

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