Healthcare

signed · Tennessee · Senate Apr 29, 2026

SB 2427: Nurses, Nursing - As enacted, revises various provisions regarding medication aides, including allowing for a student in good standing enrolled in an approved school of nursing to be eligible to receive a medication aide certificate. - Amends TCA Title 63, Chapter 7.

SB 2427 amends Tennessee law to expand eligibility for medication aide certification to include students in good standing enrolled in approved nursing schools who complete specific coursework in nursing fundamentals, pharmacology, and medication administration with a passing grade. This change directly affects nursing students seeking early certification, alongside existing pathways for certified nurse aides or licensed occupational therapy assistants. The bill also establishes a 14- to 90-day timeframe for training programs and adjusts how certification exam pass rates are calculated. These provisions aim to streamline the certification process for medication aides while maintaining safety standards.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands medication aide certification eligibility for nursing students, enabling earlier workforce entry and improving healthcare access through streamlined pathways.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce

signed · Tennessee · House May 26, 2026

HB 2259: Health Care - As enacted, specifies that a good faith disclosure of information related to an activity of a quality improvement committee (QIC) made by a healthcare provider or healthcare organization to a patient or a family member of a patient is not a waiver of the privilege and confidentiality protections provider under current law if made in an open discussion; makes other related changes. - Amends TCA Title 68, Chapter 11.

HB 2259 (Tennessee) protects healthcare providers and organizations when discussing adverse patient incidents with patients or families. It states that good-faith communications about quality improvement committee (QIC) activities - such as explaining what happened after a medical error - are not considered waivers of legal confidentiality protections. These discussions, including offers of resolution, remain privileged, cannot be used in court, and do not imply liability. The bill directly affects healthcare providers, patients, and families in Tennessee by creating a safe space for open communication after adverse incidents without legal risk.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProtects healthcare providers' confidential communications with patients about QIC activities, preventing liability exposure and preserving patient rights during adverse incident discussions.95% confidence

signed · Tennessee · Senate May 18, 2026

SB 2366: Physicians and Surgeons - As enacted, requires the board of medical examiners to issue a provisional foreign training license of two years, which may be extended for an additional one year, to an internationally trained physician who has successfully completed the examination described in current law upon finding sufficient evidence that the internationally trained physician has met certain listed criteria; makes related changes. - Amends TCA Title 63.

SB 2366 creates a two-year provisional license for internationally trained physicians in Tennessee who pass U.S. medical licensing exams and meet specific criteria, including proof of medical education, postgraduate training, legal presence in the U.S., and good moral character. To qualify, applicants must secure employment at approved facilities like federally qualified health centers, rural clinics, or accredited training programs, and pay a $300 fee. During the provisional period, physicians can only work at these designated employers under supervision, and after two years of satisfactory practice, they may earn full licensure by passing all U.S. medical exams. The bill requires the medical board to track data on this pathway to assess its effectiveness.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates pathway for internationally trained physicians to work in underserved areas (rural clinics, FQHCs), increasing healthcare access and provider availability in critical communities.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing

in committee · Tennessee · Senate May 27, 2026

SB 2557: Insurance, Health, Accident - As enacted, authorizes a health insurance entity to offer a short-term limited-duration plan and hospital indemnity coverage on the marketplace. - Amends TCA Title 3; Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 10; Title 12; Title 29; Title 35; Title 36; Title 37; Title 39; Title 40; Title 41; Title 42; Title 45; Title 47; Title 49; Title 50; Title 52; Title 53; Title 56; Title 58; Title 63; Title 67; Title 68 and Title 71.

SB 2557 shortens the deadline for health insurance companies to provide fee schedules to healthcare providers from 10 to 9 business days after receiving a written request. The bill requires that fee schedules be delivered free of charge, in a standard digital format (like Microsoft Excel), and can be provided as either a partial or full version as requested by the provider. This change directly affects all health insurance carriers in Tennessee and healthcare providers who need timely access to billing information for administrative and billing purposes. The bill amends multiple sections of Tennessee's health insurance code to implement this time reduction.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareShortens insurer deadline for provider fee schedule access, improving administrative efficiency for healthcare providers per bill's explicit language.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Insurance

Track

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 20, 2026

SB 2349: Health, Dept. of - As introduced, directs the department to create an outreach campaign regarding the ongoing research of Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease; terminates the outreach campaign on July 1, 2027. - Amends TCA Title 68.

SB 2349 requires Tennessee's Department of Health to create a public outreach campaign about Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (a neurological condition affecting nerves) using media like social media, radio, and print materials. It directs the department to establish a toll-free hotline for patients to report diagnoses or donate to related research. The bill specifies five campaign funding categories, including data portals, community outreach, and materials development. The outreach campaign would end on July 1, 2027, and the law would take effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates public health outreach campaign for Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease, including hotline and research support, advancing patient access and public health initiative.90% confidence

Track

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 1, 2026

SB 2570: Psychologists - As introduced, creates prescribing authority for certain psychologists if certain conditions and prerequisites are met. - Amends TCA Title 39; Title 53; Title 63 and Title 68.

SB 2570 would create a new pathway for licensed doctoral-level psychologists in Tennessee to prescribe certain medications for mental health conditions, subject to specific requirements. To qualify, psychologists must complete a specialized master's program in psychopharmacology (including 450+ patient contact hours), pass a national exam, and complete a one-year supervised fellowship evaluating at least 100 patients. The bill establishes an "advanced certificate to prescribe" and requires ongoing continuing education for renewal. This proposed legislation directly affects psychologists seeking expanded prescribing authority, pending approval by the Tennessee General Assembly.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands mental health access by enabling psychologists to prescribe medications after specialized training, improving patient care options for mental health conditions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

Track

in committee · Tennessee · House Mar 3, 2026

HB 2457: TennCare - As introduced, requires a managed care organization or pharmacy benefits manager that is contracted with the bureau to reimburse a claim for a long-acting injectable drug intended for treatment and prevention of human immunodeficiency virus and administered in a pharmacy, physician's office, clinic, ambulatory surgical treatment center, or hospital. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 56 and Title 71.

HB 2457 requires TennCare-managed care organizations (MCOs) and pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) to reimburse claims for long-acting injectable HIV drugs used for both treatment and prevention. These drugs must be administered in settings like pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals, directly affecting TennCare enrollees with HIV. The bill mandates that MCOs/PBMs cover these drugs under either pharmacy or medical benefits but prohibits double reimbursement - providers can only be paid once per service. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, ensuring consistent coverage for this specific HIV care option.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates TennCare MCOs/PBMs to reimburse long-acting injectable HIV drugs for treatment/prevention, expanding coverage and access to critical HIV care services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Prescription Drugs Primary Care

Track

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Mar 10, 2026

SB 2550: Insurance, Health, Accident - As introduced, increases, from 60 to 65 days prior to the effective date of the change, the required minimum notice that a health insurance entity must provide to a healthcare provider of any material change made in the sole discretion of the insurance entity to the entity's previously released provider manual or a reimbursement rule and policy. - Amends TCA Title 56, Chapter 7.

SB 2550 would require health insurance companies in Tennessee to give healthcare providers 65 days' notice before making significant changes to their provider manuals or reimbursement policies, up from the current 60-day requirement. This change directly affects health insurance entities and the healthcare providers who rely on timely updates to billing and service agreements. The bill, pending before the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee, amends Tennessee law to extend the notice period without altering other insurance practices.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExtends insurer notice period for provider manual changes, improving provider stability in billing/service agreements and supporting healthcare delivery continuity.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

Track

signed · Tennessee · Senate May 4, 2026

SB 2279: Health Care - As enacted, requires the department of health to make available to the public on its website all inspection criteria required for compliance by pain management clinics; makes other changes relative to pain management. - Amends TCA Title 63 and Title 68.

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates public inspection criteria transparency and exempts pain management specialists from high-risk lists, improving regulatory clarity and support for healthcare providers.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Primary Care Substance Abuse

signed · Tennessee · Senate May 27, 2026

SB 2461: Hospitals and Health Care Facilities - As enacted, requires each fertility clinic operating in this state to obtain a certificate from the department of health to perform assisted reproductive technology services. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 29; Title 36; Title 63 and Title 68.

SB 2461 creates a new certification requirement for individuals practicing assisted reproductive technology (ART) in Tennessee, directly affecting fertility clinics and ART practitioners. It mandates the Department of Health to establish a certification process for these professionals, requiring them to obtain a certificate to legally provide ART services. Key provisions include prohibiting genetic testing of embryos except for chromosomal abnormalities or fatal fetal anomalies, requiring use of standardized consent forms with specific patient disclosures, and mandating certified technologists to comply within 60 days of the rules taking effect. The bill also establishes definitions for ART and certified technologists across multiple health licensing chapters.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates certification for ART practitioners to ensure safety and quality in fertility services, aligning with patient protection in healthcare.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Primary Care