Press Release


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MARCH 22, 2007		CONTACT: LYDIA LENKER 615.741.3763 (OFFICE) 615.289.9375 (CELL)
BREDESEN CONTINUES LAUNCH OF COVERTN WITH KNOXVILLE STOP

Nashville – Governor Phil Bredesen today continued his statewide launch of the CoverTN program with a visit to the Fountain City Florist & Greenhouse, a small business in downtown Knoxville. The Governor was joined by legislative leaders and small business owners and their employees. CoverTN is an affordable and portable health insurance initiative for working Tennesseans who are uninsured. More than 8,000 small businesses and self-employed individuals have pre-qualified to participate in the program, which is being administered by BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. “We’re excited to offer health coverage to working Tennesseans who haven’t had viable insurance options in the past,” Bredesen said. “CoverTN provides small business employers and employees with basic insurance designed to give affordable, portable health coverage.” CoverTN creates a partnership between the state, small businesses and their employees with each paying a third of the premium. It’s not a mandated program or an entitlement program; it is a voluntary initiative for uninsured Tennesseans to obtain private insurance to cover the most needed medical services. The individual owns the plan, not the state or the company. CoverTN features no deductibles, and pricing is simple and straight-forward: $25 co-payment for a doctor’s office visit and $10 for most prescription drugs. There is also coverage for hospitalization and other medical needs. To promote personal responsibility, premiums are based on weight, tobacco use and age - with an average monthly premium of $50 for each payer. Governor Bredesen’s multi-pronged effort, Cover Tennessee, extends health insurance to uninsured individuals in Tennessee, with CoverTN as the centerpiece of the initiative. Comprehensive coverage for children will be provided through CoverKids, and chronically ill adults are eligible for AccessTN, a highrisk pool. The Cover Tennessee initiative also targets the growing prevalence of diabetes through ProjectDiabetes and focuses on improved lifestyle choices through GetFitTN. The programs were overwhelmingly endorsed by the General Assembly in 2006. More information on all Cover Tennessee programs is available at www.CoverTN.gov or by calling 1-866- COVERTN.
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