Governor Phil Bredesen signed the Cover Tennessee legislation into law today, paving the way for health insurance coverage for children and the uninsured across the state.
From the offices of Plumgood Foods in Nashville, an online grocery store, Bredesen said companies like Plumgood stand to benefit from the legislation’s small business plan. For businesses with fewer than 25 employees, the plan will split an average 150-dollar premium per month between employers, employees and the state.
Bredesen says the success of the plan will depend on getting enough companies involved.
“There’s been a lot of interest on the part of small businesses because you know the difference between 100-dollars a month or something if they pay the full premium and what it takes to get into a more classical plan is enormous. There’s a lot of ’em who want to provide insurance that just can’t afford the kind of numbers it takes to get into a health plan these days.”
The details as to what will be covered have yet to be determined. The plan won’t cover catastrophic events like a car accident and will have a waiting period for pre-existing conditions. Bredesen hopes to have it up and running in early 2007.
The legislation also created a children’s health insurance plan and a high-risk pool for those with conditions that prevent them from getting insurance.
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM