Why Obama chose Nashville for health care speech

President Barack Obama will discuss his signature health care law Wednesday at Taylor Stratton Elementary School in Madison.

Although the closed event is at a school, Obama chose a city local leaders frequently tout as the health care capital of the country for his latest speech on the Affordable Care Act.

The politics of the law, also known as "Obamacare," might not be popular throughout Tennessee. But the Democratic stronghold of Nashville — combined with the health insurance and hospital giants that call Middle Tennessee home — offers a prominent stage for any presidential address on health care, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean said.

"Nashville is the health care management capital of the United States. This is where there are more health care management companies, there's great health care facilities like Saint Thomas. It's a natural place for this discussion to take place," Dean said Monday after an event at Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital.

"People look to Nashville to find solutions about health care, so I think that's probably why he chose to come here."

Health care companies with direct ties to Nashville contribute $70 billion in revenue and more than 400,000 jobs worldwide, according to the Nashville Health Care Council, an arm of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce that focuses specifically on health care.

National hospital operators HCA and Community Health Systems are two of the 250 health care companies operating out of Nashville, according to the council. Health care accounts for more than 200,000 jobs in the local economy and an overall economic impact of $30 billion annually, according to the council.

U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Nashville, said Monday he's proud the president is coming back to Nashville.

"He likes coming here and it's only an hour or so flight from Washington," Cooper said. "And Tennessee's a good state. He wants to make sure that we're on the right track."

Late Saturday, the White House officially announced Obama would make his third trip to Nashville. The exact time of the event hasn't been publicly released. About 70 people picked by the White House will attend the event.

Obama plans to discuss "how we can move forward and continue building on the progress made under the Affordable Care Act, which has helped more than 16 million Americans gain health insurance," according to a news release.

The president also visited a local school during his first trip to Nashville. In January 2014, he visited McGavock High School to discuss the Academies of Nashville, Metro Nashville Public Schools and other education topics.

"We are thrilled once again to host the president," said Joe Bass, Metro Schools spokesman, noting that Stratton serves about 800 students.

"It's an amazing honor to be able to do that in the span of a year and a half."

In December, the president discussed his immigration policy at a community center in South Nashville.

The latest speech in Nashville comes days after a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling. The court determined people who purchase health insurance through the federal health insurance exchange may use federal subsidies. The ruling probably means 155,000 Tennesseans and millions more Americans may continue to afford health insurance through the federal exchange.

This is not the first time a president has visited the Madison area. Former Metro school board member and Madison native Mark North said President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited what was then Taylor Stratton Elementary School in November 1934.

Citing Guy Alan Bockman's book "Madison Station," North noted the elementary school Roosevelt visited isn't the same school Obama will visit. North said the new Madison branch of the public library sits on the grounds of the old elementary school.

Reporters Jason Gonzales and Joey Garrison contributed to this report. Reach Dave Boucher at 615-259-8892 and on Twitter @Dave_Boucher1.