HB 641, the "Savannah Grace Copeland Act," requires Tennessee to increase funding for child advocacy centers whenever state funding for child protective services grows. Specifically, it mandates that 75% of any increase in child protective services funding must be allocated to child advocacy center contracts starting July 2026. The bill sets specific base funding amounts: $127,855.98 for full centers and $85,000 per forensic interviewer. These centers, which serve over 32,000 children annually with services like forensic interviews and mental health support, directly benefit from this policy change. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, but requires separate annual appropriations to implement the funding adjustments.
HB 1089 requires courts to order mental health evaluations for defendants convicted of specific abuse-related crimes - including domestic assault, child abuse, aggravated child abuse, or cruelty to animals - before sentencing. The law directs Tennessee's Department of Mental Health to create a process where community mental health centers or qualified professionals conduct these evaluations. It directly affects defendants in these cases and the state's mental health evaluation system, adding a pre-sentencing step to assess potential mental health factors. The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 39-14-202 and related titles to implement this requirement, effective May 21, 2025.
HB 411, known as "Lucca's Law," requires Tennessee's TennCare program to cover medically necessary treatments for children with PANDAS (pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections) and PANS (pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome). It mandates that all TennCare-managed care organizations (MCOs) provide coverage for specific treatments - including antibiotics, behavioral therapy, immunomodulating medicines, plasma exchange, and IVIG therapy - without higher co-pays or delays, and prohibits denial based on prior treatment or diagnosis changes. The law also requires MCOs to use "autoimmune encephalitis" coding for billing until specific PANDAS/PANS codes are established. This directly affects pediatric patients with these conditions and their families, ensuring consistent access to covered care under TennCare.
HB 858 requires Tennessee's insurance commissioner to study how easily patients and doctors can request exceptions to step therapy rules online. The study will assess whether insurers' processes are accessible without unnecessary barriers for those seeking coverage for cancer treatments. The commissioner must submit findings and recommendations by December 2025. This bill affects insurers and healthcare providers who handle step therapy requests but does not change current coverage requirements. It becomes effective January 1, 2026.
HB 979 establishes a new licensure process for anesthesiologist assistants in Tennessee, directly affecting these healthcare professionals and hospitals that employ them. The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 63-1-160(g) and related provisions in Titles 47, 63, and 68, removing restrictions that previously limited hospitals from employing certain licensed physicians for specific medical services. This change updates hospital staffing rules to align with current healthcare practices. The law became effective on July 1, 2025, following the Governor's signature on May 21, 2025.
SB 881 removes limits on penalties for pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) that fail to pay pharmacies promptly under Tennessee law. It requires PBMs to pay "clean claims" (complete, error-free claims) within 30 days for paper submissions and 14 days for electronic submissions, with interest accruing for late payments. The bill establishes tiered penalties: failing to pay 95% of clean claims triggers up to $10,000 in fines, 85% triggers $10,000-$100,000, and 60% triggers $100,000-$200,000. This directly affects PBMs (like those managing prescription drug benefits) and pharmacies that rely on timely payments from them.
SB 644 modifies Tennessee's nursing regulations to expand access to practical nursing programs at public colleges. It requires the Board of Nursing to allow students meeting high school diploma or equivalent qualifications to enroll in these programs and permits them to take the NCLEX-PN exam upon completion. The bill also mandates a minimum of 1,296 clock hours for practical nursing programs and requires public colleges to offer pre-nursing courses starting in high school. These changes directly affect prospective practical nurses and public institutions of higher education governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents.
SB 890 requires Tennessee health insurance companies to create two digital systems: one allowing healthcare providers to access patient electronic health records and another for processing prior authorization requests (like insurance approvals for treatments). It also shortens the timeline for certain health insurance actions by changing the requirement from 10 working days to 10 calendar days. This law directly affects health insurance entities, healthcare providers, and patients by improving access to medical records and streamlining authorization processes. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2025.
HB 482 adds prostate cancer, breast cancer, and pancreatic cancer to the list of conditions for which Tennessee firefighters automatically qualify for compensation (a "presumption") if diagnosed, unless medical evidence proves the cancer existed before employment. It directly affects full-time Tennessee firefighters diagnosed with these cancers after July 1, 2025. The key provision requires firefighters seeking this presumption to obtain a cancer screening exam after July 1, 2025, showing no prior evidence of these cancers. This bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated § 7-51-201 to expand the presumption list and establish the pre-screening requirement.
HB 869 requires Tennessee health insurance companies to create two new digital systems: a "provider access API" to let doctors quickly retrieve patient records electronically, and a "prior authorization API" to speed up insurance approvals for treatments. It directly affects health insurance entities by mandating these technical standards under revised state laws in Titles 8, 47, 56, 63, and 68. The bill also shortens a deadline for insurers from 10 working days to 10 calendar days for certain patient record requests. This law aims to improve efficiency in healthcare coordination by standardizing electronic access to records and prior authorization processes.
