Healthcare

in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 29, 2025

HB 1044: Health Care - As enacted, enacts the "Medical Ethics Defense Act." - Amends TCA Title 63.

HB 1044, now Public Chapter 266, enacts Tennessee's "Medical Ethics Defense Act" to protect healthcare providers' rights to refuse care based on conscience. It prohibits discrimination against providers who decline to participate in specific procedures (like certain reproductive or end-of-life care) that conflict with their ethical, moral, or religious beliefs, as defined in the law. The bill also shields providers from retaliation for reporting violations of these protections or disclosing concerns about patient safety. It explicitly excludes federal laws like EMTALA and religious institutions' employment decisions from its scope.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareProtects providers' right to refuse care (e.g., reproductive/end-of-life services), restricting patient access to those services per bill's explicit purpose.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

signed · Tennessee · House Apr 28, 2025

HB 959: Medical Occupations - As enacted, makes various changes relative to marriage and family therapist licensure. - Amends TCA Title 33 and Title 63.

HB 959 updates Tennessee's licensure rules for marriage and family therapists. It allows students in accredited programs to use titles like "marital therapy intern" while supervised, and clarifies that associate license holders must use "associate licensed marriage and family therapist" or "AMFT" (not implying full licensure). The bill creates specific pathways for associate licensure, requiring a 9-month exam deadline and supervised practice under approved supervisors, while defining "approved supervisor" to include AAMFT-approved professionals. These changes directly affect therapy students, trainees, and practitioners seeking licensure in Tennessee.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill clarifies licensure pathways for marriage and family therapists, enabling more mental health professionals to practice under supervision, directly supporting mental health services within healthcare.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Tennessee · House Apr 28, 2025

HB 843: Hospitals and Health Care Facilities - As enacted, declares Perry County Community Hospital in Linden and Decatur County General Hospital in Parsons to be necessary providers for the purpose of critical access hospital designation eligibility in accordance with Section 1820 of the Social Security Act. - Amends TCA Title 68.

HB 843 declares Perry County Community Hospital in Linden and Decatur County General Hospital in Parsons as "necessary providers" of healthcare services for federal critical access hospital (CAH) designation eligibility under Section 1820 of the Social Security Act. This enables both hospitals to qualify for federal CAH status, which provides crucial financial support and resources to sustain operations in rural areas. The bill directly affects these two specific hospitals, ensuring they can access federal benefits to continue serving vulnerable rural communities in Perry and Decatur counties. It requires the Tennessee Department of Health and Health Facilities Commission to facilitate the federal designation process.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables two rural hospitals to qualify for federal CAH funding, securing essential financial support to maintain healthcare services in underserved areas per Social Security Act provisions.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 16, 2025

HB 1280: Public Funds and Financing - As introduced, creates the medical expense relief fund to assist the next of kin and the estate of a decedent who was enrolled in TennCare at the time of death with paying the decedent's medical debt and expenses; requires the department of human services to administer the fund and the awarding of grants. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 3; Title 9 and Title 71.

HB 1280 creates a $250 million "medical expense relief fund" within Tennessee's general fund to help the next of kin or estate of a decedent who was enrolled in TennCare at the time of death pay their unpaid medical debt and expenses. The Department of Human Services would administer the fund, setting application procedures, eligibility criteria (considering debt amount and need), and determining whether grants go to next of kin, the estate, or directly to creditors. Funds would be used solely for covering the decedent's medical costs, including unpaid TennCare benefits or premiums. The bill requires DHS to establish reporting mechanisms and submit annual reports to legislative committees, but it does not appropriate funds until the state budget act includes specific funding.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates $250M fund within general fund for medical debt relief, funding essential public service program under Public Funds subject.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates $250M medical expense relief fund for TennCare decedents' unpaid medical debts, directly funding healthcare cost relief for vulnerable populations.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 9, 2025

HB 1084: Health, Dept. of - As introduced, requires the department to establish and administer a grant program to reimburse local education agencies, public charter schools, private schools, and medical first responders for the costs of anti-choking devices purchased by the local education agency, public charter school, private school, or medical first responder on or after July 1, 2025. - Amends TCA Title 49 and Title 68.

HB 1084 creates a state grant program to reimburse local schools (including public charter and private schools) and medical first responders for purchasing anti-choking devices. The program covers one device per school cafeteria and one device per emergency vehicle used by medical first responders, starting July 1, 2025. It limits total reimbursements to $500,000 and requires annual reports to the legislature detailing applications, awards, and funds used. The program expires on July 1, 2028, and requires separate legislative funding approval to operate.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides state reimbursement for schools to purchase anti-choking devices, directly funding school safety infrastructure and protecting student health within education context.92% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds anti-choking devices for schools and medical first responders, enhancing emergency response capabilities in healthcare settings.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 8, 2025

HB 693: Pharmacy, Pharmacists - As enacted, makes certain changes to the practice of pharmacy, including removing the present prohibition on requiring a patient to pay an administrative fee for pharmacist-provided hormonal contraceptives when the patient is insured or covered and receives a pharmacy benefit that covers the cost of the hormonal contraceptives. - Amends TCA Title 53, Chapter 10; Title 56, Chapter 32 and Title 63, Chapter 10.

HB 693 eliminates a requirement that could force insured patients to pay administrative fees for pharmacist-provided hormonal contraceptives when their pharmacy benefit already covers the cost. The bill directly affects insured patients using pharmacy benefits for hormonal contraceptives and pharmacists who dispense these medications. Key provisions amend Tennessee law to change language from "shall prohibit" to "must not prohibit" fees, ensuring patients cannot be charged extra for covered contraceptives. This change applies to all pharmacists authorized under Tennessee law who provide hormonal contraceptives to insured patients. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves administrative fees for insured patients receiving covered hormonal contraceptives, improving access and protecting patient rights under insurance coverage.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

signed · Tennessee · House Apr 8, 2025

HB 62: Athletic Trainers - As enacted, authorizes athletic trainers to use dry needling to carry out the practice of prevention, recognition, evaluation, management, disposition, treatment, or rehabilitation of athletic injuries; requires the board of athletic trainers to establish minimum competency requirements for an athletic trainer to demonstrate in order to practice dry needling. - Amends TCA Title 49 and Title 63.

HB 62 authorizes Tennessee athletic trainers to use dry needling for preventing, treating, and rehabilitating athletic injuries, directly affecting licensed athletic trainers in the state. The bill requires the Board of Athletic Trainers to establish minimum competency standards that practitioners must demonstrate to safely perform dry needling. It clarifies that this practice does not constitute acupuncture under existing law. The policy change expands athletic trainers' scope of practice with specific safety safeguards, effective March 28, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands scope of practice for licensed athletic trainers to provide dry needling for injury treatment, improving access to non-acupuncture healthcare services without restricting coverage.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Tennessee · Senate Apr 8, 2025

SB 569: Pharmacy, Pharmacists - As enacted, makes certain changes to the practice of pharmacy, including removing the present prohibition on requiring a patient to pay an administrative fee for pharmacist-provided hormonal contraceptives when the patient is insured or covered and receives a pharmacy benefit that covers the cost of the hormonal contraceptives. - Amends TCA Title 53, Chapter 10; Title 56, Chapter 32 and Title 63, Chapter 10.

SB 569 prevents pharmacies from charging administrative fees for hormonal contraceptives when a patient's insurance covers the cost and includes pharmacy benefits. It directly affects insured patients seeking hormonal contraceptives and pharmacists who previously might have charged such fees. The bill amends Tennessee law to remove language allowing pharmacies to require these fees, ensuring patients covered by insurance do not face additional costs. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies to all pharmacies in Tennessee.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves administrative fees for insured hormonal contraceptives, improving patient access to covered healthcare services and protecting patient rights under insurance coverage.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Tennessee · Senate Apr 8, 2025

SB 174: Medical Occupations - As enacted, requires the board of medical examiners to register an applicant as a registered surgical assistant if the applicant maintains current credentials as a surgical assistant issued by the American Board of Surgical Assistants and satisfies other necessary requirements; removes December 31, 2019, as the deadline by which an applicant for registration as a surgical assistant must register with the board in order to be registered on the basis of certain practical experience. - Amends TCA Title 63, Chapter 6.

SB 174 amends Tennessee law to update requirements for surgical assistants seeking board registration. It adds the American Board of Surgical Assistants (ABSA) as an accepted credentialing body alongside the National Commission for Certification of Surgical Assistants, allowing applicants to maintain current ABSA credentials. The bill also removes the December 31, 2019, deadline for applicants to register based on practical experience, making registration more flexible. This change directly affects surgical assistants in Tennessee seeking state licensure, effective March 25, 2025. The law modifies Tennessee Code Annotated § 63-6-219(b)(1) and (b)(3).

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves registration deadline and adds ABSA credentialing, easing practice access for surgical assistants, improving healthcare provider availability.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

died · Tennessee · House Apr 8, 2025

HB 155: Death - As enacted, removes the limitation that a death must have been anticipated for a registered nurse to make the actual determination and pronouncement of death if a deceased was a patient or resident at a nursing home, hospital, or assisted-care living facility. - Amends TCA Title 68.

HB 155 amends Tennessee law to allow registered nurses to pronounce death for patients or residents in nursing homes, hospitals, or assisted-care facilities without needing to confirm the death was "anticipated." The bill removes this prior requirement and instead requires the attending physician's written agreement to sign the death certificate, which must be present at the time of death. This change directly affects registered nurses working in healthcare facilities by expanding their authority to formally declare death. The law took effect upon enactment (April 8, 2025), streamlining the death certification process for healthcare providers.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves unnecessary restriction on nurses' authority to pronounce death in healthcare facilities, improving procedural efficiency without impacting coverage or funding.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track