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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.

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Dear Governor Haslam: Thirteenth Letter

6/1/2014

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The 13th letter: mental health
by hopeworkscommunityDear Governor Haslam:

This is my 13th letter to you.

I have always been impressed by the way you seem to care about the mental health system in Tennessee. But.....

The single most important piece of mental health reform is increasing people's access to services. Without health care reform there is no mental health reform and without TennCare expansion there is no access for many people. It has a tremendous cost to this state in terms of the consequences of people with mental health issues not receiving the help they need. Jails, prisons, homelessness, suicide, loss of jobs, family stresses and failures: all of these and more are connected to no access.

Make a real difference in our mental health system. Support TennCare expansion.

Until tomorrow.

Yours truly,

Larry Drain

hopeworkscommunity | May 30, 2014 at 12:14 am

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Governor Haslam, will you speak?

6/1/2014

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Will you speak???

The opposition to Medicaid expansion is loud, organized, powerful, aggresssive and persistent. Many people believe that the fight is over with in Tennessee. They point to the opposition in the legislature and wonder how they can make a difference. Expansion seems like such a no brainer in so many ways. I cant remember when the state of Tennessee had a chance to do something with the ability to help so many people so much. Yet it seems so far away.

It will take people who believe in it speaking up, speaking a lot, and speaking a lot more. Silence will only confirm what is. If what you say matters, saying nothing matters even more. Will you speak up??

There is no assurance it will make a difference. There is no promise you will be heard. The only promise is what will happen if you dont.

We need each other. Badly. Speak out. Write. Call. Email. Do something and then support someone else in doing the same. Vote each and every day the matters of your heart.

If are voice is to matter then what we do must matter.

Speak today for Medicaid expansion. Speak tomorrow and the day afterward. And continue speaking until you are heard and make a difference. If you dont speak for the people in need now who will speak for you in need.

Tomorrow will be my 13th letter to Governor Haslam. The day after that will be the 14th. Please join me. Contact Governor Haslam today.

Posted on May 29, 2014

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Dear Governor Haslam: Twelfth Letter

6/1/2014

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The 12th letter: disability

Dear Governor Haslam:

This is my 12th letter to you and the news is not good.

I talked with Carol Westlake of The Tennessee Coalition about the effect of Tenn Care expansion on people with disabilities. It is scary:

The percentage of people with disabilities is almost double for poor people what it is for people with higher incomes.

Although many people with disabilities get SSI and thus Tenn Care a very high amount dont.

There are 80742 Tennesseans with disabilities with no healthcare coverage. They are the people Tenn Care expansion could save. Can you even begin to imagine what disability without help must be like. Even applying for SSI can take over 2 years. This is not my picture of what Tennessee can be or should be. I dont think it is yours either Governor. Has anyone in your administration even looked at what the lack of expansion for people with disabilities??

There is another problem. If you were disabled, say in a car wreck or by illness, tomorrow and found you had lost all income you would probably apply for SSDI. Federal law says that for someone under 65 they must have ssdi for 2 years before they can access medicare. For many they have 2 years of no access to medical care when they need it more than they have ever needed in their lives. About 4-5% of these folks die before they get to medicaire. Expanding Tenn Care saves lives. It saves lives.

Governor Haslam none of this is okay. Tenn Care expansion for them is the difference in having a fair chance at any quality of life. Please act.

In the immediate sense I would like to know more about who in your administration is reaching out to the disabled community. If no one is they need to start– yesterday.

Governor thanks for your time.

Until tomorrow.

Yours truly,

Larry Drain

Posted on May 29, 2014

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Dear Governor Haslam: Eleventh Letter

6/1/2014

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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

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Dear Governor Haslam: A Second Tenth Letter

6/1/2014

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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

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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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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: Thirteenth Letter

Governor Haslam, will you speak?

Dear Governor Haslam: Twelfth Letter

Dear Governor Haslam: Eleventh Letter

Dear Governor Haslam: A Second Tenth Letter

Dear Governor Haslam: Tenth Letter

Disability

We now have a Facebook Page!

Reclaim the Conversation

Dear Governor Haslam: Seventh Letter

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