TennCare—A Failure Of Politics, Not Policy: A Conversation With Gordon Bonnyman

ABSTRACT:

Gordon Bonnyman is the indefatigable advocate who has spent the past dozen years both championing and challenging TennCare, Tennessee's controversial Medicaid program. As the executive director of the Tennessee Justice Center, Bonnyman has advocated for TennCare during three gubernatorial administrations; this advocacy reached new levels of intensity in 2005, when Gov. Phil Bredesen introduced major cutbacks to the program. Bonnyman's prominent role in shaping TennCare and, according to some, stymieing changes to it publicly pitted him against Governor Bredesen in the battle to “save” TennCare.