Heritage Breakfast speaker talks healthcare in Ky.

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A surgeon from Louisville who hosts a healthcare program on Kentucky Educational Television was the keynote speaker Saturday morning at the 24th annual African American Heritage Breakfast hosted by the Modernette Civic Club.

Dr. Wayne Tuckson recounted Kentucky’s history of segregation and desegregation in higher education and healthcare. He told the story of Brooks Memorial Hospital, which was the only facility that treated African-Americans in Hopkinsville when it was built in the 1940’s.

Practicing medicine now, Dr. Tuckson says the Affordable Care Act approved under President Obama is not perfect, but is an improvement to the system that was in place. He also takes offense to Kentucky’s new requirement that able-bodied Medicaid recipients must work to continue receiving coverage.

He says Kentuckians who have health insurance are more likely to take preventative measures to prevent minor issues from becoming major health problems.

Dr. Tuckson contends Kentucky can’t afford for those currently on Medicaid to lose their coverage.

The Hopkinsville-Christian County NAACP will host a Black History program Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. at Moores Baptist Church at 411 Cypress Street. Rev. C.R. Miller is the host pastor.