HB 329 allows certain bank-run health insurance arrangements (called "multiple employer welfare arrangements" or MEWAs) operating across state lines to be treated as domestic Tennessee arrangements if they meet specific conditions. It affects bank-based MEWAs that are licensed in a neighboring state, serve no more than 2,500 Tennessee employees, and comply with regulatory oversight similar to Tennessee standards. Key provisions require these arrangements to be exclusively for banks, avoid health-based enrollment restrictions, and obtain approval from Tennessee's insurance commissioner. The bill aims to simplify regulatory compliance for these arrangements while ensuring they meet solvency and oversight standards. This change took effect after becoming law in May 2025 (Public Chapter 161).
SB 1304 extends Tennessee's Access Tennessee health insurance program, which provides coverage for low-income residents, from ending on June 30, 2025, to June 30, 2030. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Section 56-7-2916 to update the program's expiration date. This change ensures continued eligibility for current participants and future enrollees who qualify under the program's existing income and coverage criteria. The extension applies to all individuals currently enrolled or who meet the program's requirements before 2030.
SB 437 requires most health insurance plans in Tennessee to cover mental health and substance abuse services through a specific integrated care model called the Psychiatric Collaborative Care Model (PCCM), effective July 1, 2025. This model involves primary care providers, care managers, and psychiatric consultants working together to coordinate patient treatment using validated tools and regular assessments. Insurance plans may deny coverage only if they comply with existing state and federal mental health parity laws (including the MHPAEA) and medical necessity standards. The requirement applies to TennCare and CoverKids programs when services are deemed medically necessary by program guidelines.
SB 1178 requires Tennessee's Department of Disability and Aging and TennCare to create guidelines enabling family members to work as caregivers for people with disabilities. It prohibits Medicaid service providers from denying employment to qualified family caregivers based on factors like family relationship, residence, age, or guardianship status. The bill also prevents providers from reducing benefits for individuals with disabilities solely because their caregiver is a family member. These changes ensure family caregivers can work without discrimination under Tennessee's Medicaid programs.
HB 515 requires Tennessee school districts and public charter schools to include state-published information about Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes when sharing health-related updates with parents of K-12 students. Starting August 1, 2025, schools must provide this specific diabetes information, which covers descriptions, risk factors, warning signs, screening processes, and treatment recommendations. The Tennessee Department of Education, working with the Department of Health, must publish this free resource on its website by July 31, 2025, for schools to access and distribute. This bill directly affects school districts, charter schools, and parents of K-12 students by standardizing diabetes health information in school communications.
SB 940 expands Tennessee's "Good Samaritan" law to include alcohol-related overdoses, allowing people to seek medical help for alcohol poisoning without facing prosecution for alcohol violations. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 63 by updating definitions to replace "drug overdose" with "overdose" and "drug violation" with "drug or alcohol violation" throughout the law. This change directly affects individuals experiencing or witnessing alcohol overdoses, as well as those providing emergency assistance. The policy removes legal barriers to calling for help during alcohol-related medical emergencies, treating alcohol and drug overdoses equally under the immunity provision. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.
SB 849 requires Tennessee medical and osteopathic boards to create an optional continuing education course on maternal mental health for healthcare professionals. It directly affects physicians specializing in obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, and psychiatry, as well as certain psychologists. The course must cover screening practices, types of maternal mental health disorders, evidence-based treatments, and when to consult a psychiatrist. Boards must update the curriculum periodically to reflect new research and accept course completion as credit toward required continuing education.
SB 449, the "Fertility Treatment and Contraceptive Protection Act," establishes legal rights for individuals in Tennessee to access fertility treatments and contraception without state prohibition. It defines "fertility treatment" broadly to include procedures like in vitro fertilization, genetic testing of embryos, and medication for fertility, while defining "contraception" to cover methods such as birth control pills, emergency contraceptives, and sterilization. The law explicitly states that Tennessee law does not prohibit these activities, overriding conflicting state laws. This act takes effect on July 1, 2025, directly affecting all residents seeking these health services within the state.
HB 995 expands Tennessee's law protecting individuals who seek medical help for an overdose to include alcohol-related incidents. It amends state code by replacing "drug overdose" with "overdose" and "drug violation" with "drug or alcohol violation" in immunity provisions. This means people calling for help during an alcohol or drug overdose can no longer face prosecution for minor alcohol or drug offenses related to the incident. The law directly affects individuals experiencing overdoses and those assisting them by seeking emergency care. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2025.
HB 1198 requires Tennessee health insurers and TennCare to allow patients to try biosimilar drugs (cost-effective copies of brand-name medications) before covering the original branded drug. It amends state law to permit health carriers to mandate a biosimilar trial for equivalent branded prescriptions, removing prior requirements for generic drug trials. The bill also directs TennCare’s pharmacy committee to consider biosimilar drugs when recommending medications for the state’s preferred drug list. These changes aim to reduce prescription drug costs by increasing biosimilar adoption, as stated in the bill’s legislative findings.
