By Governor Phil Bredesen

Every person in America has felt the pinch when it comes to health care and the costs associated with keeping themselves and their families healthy.

That pinch may be felt in the cost of premiums subtracted from your paycheck every two weeks; or in the frustrating process of securing affordable insurance when your company doesn’t offer it; or the basic inability to pay for coverage even if you have access in the first place.

We’ve all felt the pinch in Tennessee. And we’re not alone. The skyrocketing cost of health care is a national problem that deserves a national solution. Unfortunately, that day – when America comes together to address the issue of health care costs from a national perspective – has not yet arrived.

But as Governor of this state, I cannot in good conscience stand by and wait for the folks in Washington to act on a problem that today impacts the lives and livelihood of every hardworking man and woman in America. That’s why, earlier this year, I presented to the General Assembly my plan for what we can do here in Tennessee to offer a helping hand to our citizens – folks who work for modest wages, for small businesses, for themselves.

My proposal, which I call Cover Tennessee, is a modern, fiscally cautious, down-to-earth approach. It’s not the “end-all, be-all” solution to our problem. It is not another big government entitlement program. It is not TennCare part 2. What it is instead is a starting point that, if we’re successful, will allow us to grow step-by-step in a fiscally responsible way.

Cover Tennessee, at its most basic, is a partnership between the state, individuals, and small business that is rooted in two core principles: affordability and portability.

First, affordability. To me, that means no more than $100 a month for an individual. We plan a benefit package that has a total cost on average of about $150 a month. Of that, the state will pay $50. Where an employer is willing to contribute, a $50 contribution on their part will leave the employee to pay $50.

Second, portability. What I mean by that is simple: I want the individual, not the employer or the government, to own his or her own policy. If you sign up for Cover Tennessee through your job at a small business and you get laid off, you can take the policy with you. This proposal represents a fundamental rethinking of the way health insurance works. Health insurance should follow the individual.

To implement Cover Tennessee, we will look to the private sector. Small businesses and their employees are the heart of our economy and they can be at the heart of our solution to this problem. We will partner with small businesses to extend access to health care to working uninsured Tennesseans. We will use competition and the strength of the marketplace to our advantage. And we will get the best coverage we can buy for these Tennesseans.

This month, we’re at a critical juncture when it comes to the success of Cover Tennessee. Right now, our proposal is being considered by the General Assembly and I am very hopeful that it will pass both chambers with strong bipartisan votes. This is not a Democratic issue or a Republican issue, this is a Tennessee issue. And one of the things I love most about our state is that, when Tennesseans see a neighbor in need, Tennesseans don’t hesitate to lend a hand. Through Cover Tennessee, we’re offering hardworking Tennesseans a hand up, not a handout.

Are these plans perfect? Do they cover every contingency? Will they answer every need? No. But is this a lot better than what is happening now? Does it help a great many people who truly need the help? Is it a foundation we can build upon? Absolutely, yes.

It comes back to personal responsibility – we don’t have it in our power to promise everyone free health insurance without limits. But we do have it in our power to offer them access to affordable and portable health insurance, and then the choice is theirs.

There are hundreds of thousands of hard working uninsured adults, uninsured children and uninsurable adults who need our help now. We have the opportunity and the means to help them. It is time for us to act.