SB 1610 amends Tennessee law to allow Putnam County and incorporated cities within the county meeting specific 2020 census population thresholds (366,200-366,300 for the county, 79,800-79,900 for cities) to regulate sober living homes for substance abuse recovery. The bill enables these local governments to establish rules for such homes while requiring compliance with the Fair Housing Act and Americans with Disabilities Act. It does not create new regulations but defines which jurisdictions can implement them. The key provision adjusts the legal definition of "local government" in state code to include these specific areas.
HB 2093 prevents managed care organizations (MCOs) from unilaterally ending contracts with qualified nursing facilities in Tennessee's TennCare program, except under specific circumstances. The bill gives the TennCare bureau exclusive authority to decide if a nursing facility can be terminated from the program, not the MCOs. MCOs must report concerns about facilities to the bureau instead of acting alone, and must continue services during the bureau's review. This changes how MCOs manage nursing facility contracts, ensuring only the bureau can approve terminations.
HB 1956 expands protections for cancer patients by removing restrictions on when health insurance plans must cover approved cancer treatments without requiring "step therapy." The bill changes Tennessee law to prohibit health benefit plans from forcing patients to try less expensive treatments first for *any* cancer diagnosis (previously limited to stage 4 advanced metastatic or blood cancers). This directly affects all health insurance plans covering cancer treatment and enrollees diagnosed with cancer, ensuring coverage for approved drugs without prior step therapy requirements. The law takes effect January 1, 2027, for new or renewed policies.
SB 1369 removes the requirement for acute care hospitals in Tennessee to obtain state approval (a "certificate of need") to establish or operate, effective July 1, 2028. It defines "acute care hospital" as one primarily treating patients with an average stay of 25 days or less. This change directly affects new and existing acute care hospitals by eliminating a regulatory hurdle for expansion or operation. The bill amends specific Tennessee Code sections to implement this change, while maintaining certificate of need requirements for other hospital types.
HB 754 requires gender clinics receiving state funding and insurance providers covering gender transition procedures to also offer and cover detransition services (medical or mental health care to reverse or manage effects of transition). It applies specifically to state-funded clinics and insurers, mandating they report detailed statistics on gender transition procedures to the Tennessee Department of Health. The reporting includes patient demographics, procedure types, medications, and diagnoses - while excluding personally identifiable health information. Data must be submitted monthly and compiled into an annual public report starting in 2025. The bill does not restrict access to gender transition care but adds transparency and service parity requirements.
HB 29 requires health insurance companies to reimburse chiropractic physicians at the same rate as medical doctors for identical services, using the same payment methodology. It prohibits insurers from creating separate chiropractic codes or rates to avoid this requirement, applying to standard medical coding systems like CPT. The law directly affects chiropractors and insurers, but excludes state Medicaid (TennCare), CoverKids, and government-provided insurance. Key provisions mandate equal reimbursement calculations based on nationally recognized codes, with no impact on existing payment structures for exempt programs. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.
SB 2279 requires Tennessee's Department of Health to publish all inspection criteria used for pain management clinics on its website, making compliance standards transparent for clinics. It mandates that the department publicly share the criteria for identifying "high-risk" prescribers (based on patient overdose rates) and remove such designations after prescribers complete required training. The bill also exempts pain management specialists from the high-risk prescriber list and allows them to temporarily cover for medical directors without counting toward the four-clinic limit for medical directors. These changes directly affect pain management clinics, prescribers, and pain management specialists by clarifying regulatory expectations and providing pathways to address high-risk designations.
SB 1753 amends Tennessee law to prohibit using the terms "clinical informatics," "lifestyle medicine," or "medical virtualist" after a person’s name to mislead others into believing they are licensed to practice medicine or osteopathic medicine. The bill directly affects healthcare professionals who might use these titles without proper medical licensure. It adds these specific terms to the existing list of prohibited designations under Tennessee Code Annotated Sections 63-6-204(m)(1) and related chapters. The legislation aims to prevent public confusion about who is legally authorized to provide medical care. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee after passing initial committee stages.
HB 1984 expands access to buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder by allowing more healthcare providers to directly administer buprenorphine mono or buprenorphine without naloxone, as long as they act within their scope of practice. It specifically permits prescribing these medications to nursing mothers and patients with documented adverse reactions to naloxone, and clarifies that prescribing injectable forms doesn’t restrict providers from later prescribing non-naloxone buprenorphine. The bill amends Tennessee’s pharmacy law (TCA Title 53, Chapter 11) to remove barriers for these specific scenarios. This directly affects healthcare providers (like nurse practitioners or physician assistants) and patients seeking opioid treatment, particularly nursing mothers and those with allergies to naloxone.
SB 1389 prohibits healthcare providers participating in Tennessee's TennCare or CoverKids programs from refusing to treat patients solely because they decline vaccines or immunizations. It requires the state to stop reimbursing providers who violate this rule and mandates the TennCare director to create implementing regulations. The law excludes oncology and organ transplant specialists from the prohibition. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, with rules to be established under state administrative procedures.
