Medical Care

This district has many sick citizens who go without medical care because they can’t afford it.  The state should accept federal funding to expand Medicaid which would cover around 118,000 people (5). In addition, the state should pass laws which protect non-profit hospitals in small communities from being absorbed by profit-making chains and support these small hospitals so they can keep providing medical care close to home. According to the Sycamore Institute (6) McMinn County is rated 62/95 in quality of health care among Tennessee counties with above average childhood and adult obesity and below average birth weight. The uninsured rate is also higher than the state average. We can do better.  

5. Tennessee could expand Medicaid and save $900M under Biden’s new offer (tennessean.com) 

6.  2020 County Health Profiles - Final Compiled.pub (sycamoreinstitutetn.org)