Just another case of how TN chooses bad leaders. What do Lamar! and Corker say about this. Probably not a peep
On a state government level as of a few years ago it is a two house GOP majority but a GOP moderate friend of Corker & Alexander as governor.
Outside of Tennessee few persons know the history of what at one time was our Medicaid program which if the original program had remained intact this couple would be covered.
It was a DEM governor {Ned Ray McWherter}, Al Gore, the then state speaker of the house James {Boss Hogg} Naifeh and LT Gov John Wilder along with the advice of the Hildabeast pushed through in a Dem controlled General Assembly TENNCARE which took the place of Medicaid and became by default an early version of Hillary Care. Tennessee was to be the first Hillarycare state.
Worse was the next governor was a Liberal RINO Don Sundquist who was backed by the likes of Alexander and others. He darn near bankrupted the state. THis in turn began the Tennessee Income Tax Revolt. The state capitol literally got shut down by angry horn honking taxpayers circling the capitol building and street protesters.
Tenncare fraud especially within the HMO's was rampant. Kids were almost automatically enrolled while at the same time several unsuccessful attempts were made to disenroll the elderly poor and disabled from Tenncare which Medicaid was the program funding used to form Tenncare was meant for.
The state lawmakers wisely choose not to expand the system into Obamacare. Ironically Tenncare at one point was nearly shut down and original Medicaid program reopened. That threat was made by the previous governor who believe it or not was a DEM.
I'd be careful about this story for several reasons. Some of the papers pushing it are pro-Obamacare media. They are Liberal papers looking in Conservative districts for propaganda to use for the cause so to speak. I know of no one in this area {I live in East Tennessee} divorcing to get healthcare coverage. You can get Medicare and Medicare supplemental PLUS in their hood several reduced based on ability to pay clinics do exist.
Read this http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/health/2014/07/05/couple-married-years-separate-wife-can-keep-insurance/12203959/ paying close attention to the three last paragraphs. It’s a political propaganda piece and our GOP state lawmakers made the right decision. Under original Medicaid program pre-1992 the woman would have definitely been covered. The DEMs in control of the state capitol are what originally screwed it up.