Healthcare

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

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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

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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

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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

died · Tennessee · House May 1, 2026

HB 2313: Health, Dept. of - As enacted, authorizes the department to establish and administer an early childhood mental health home visiting program as a voluntary, evidence-based and home-based intervention to promote the mental health, developmental progress, and family stability of children from birth to five years of age and their families. - Amends TCA Title 33 and Title 68, Chapter 1.

HB 2313 authorizes Tennessee's Department of Health to establish a voluntary, home-based mental health program for children from birth to age five and their families. It directly affects families facing stressors like poverty, trauma, or parental mental health challenges by providing evidence-based home visits from licensed clinicians. Key provisions include home-based therapy, care coordination to connect families with services, developmental assessments, and strict quality standards to ensure program effectiveness. The program must prioritize at-risk families, coordinate with existing services, and report annually on outcomes and funding to the legislature.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareHB 2313 establishes a new state-funded mental health home visiting program for children ages 0-5, directly expanding access to evidence-based mental health services for vulnerable families.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Mar 27, 2026

SB 2337: Taxes, Sales - As introduced, enacts the "Healthy Tennessee Grocery Tax Reform of 2026." - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 6.

SB 2337, the "Healthy Tennessee Grocery Tax Reform of 2026," removes sales tax from specific healthy food items while maintaining tax on highly processed foods. It amends Tennessee law to exempt fresh/frozen produce, raw meats, eggs, dairy, unsweetened cereal, 100% juice, and staples like beans, flour, and bread from sales tax. This directly affects grocery shoppers purchasing these items and retailers selling them, by reducing costs for healthy foods. The policy change takes effect July 1, 2026, shifting tax treatment to favor nutrient-dense foods over processed alternatives.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts healthy food items from sales tax, reducing burden on lower-income shoppers and aligning with tax relief for essential items per policy intent.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves sales tax on healthy foods (produce, dairy, staples) to promote dietary choices linked to public health, aligning with healthcare improvement goals through preventive nutrition access.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Procurement Sales Tax

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died · Tennessee · House May 1, 2026

HB 2243: Insurance, Health, Accident - As enacted, enacts the "Stopping Health Insurers from Excluding Legal Decisions (SHIELD) Act." - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 56 and Title 71.

HB 2243, the "SHIELD Act," prohibits health insurance companies from including patients with legally recognized vaccine exemptions (based on religion or medical reasons) in vaccination-related quality metrics used to determine provider reimbursement rates. It directly affects healthcare providers who treat such patients and health insurance entities that set payment structures. The bill requires insurers to exclude exempt patients from calculations of vaccination rates and bans them from penalizing providers - through reduced payments, network removal, or withheld bonuses - for having these patients in their practice. This ensures providers aren’t financially penalized for following state law on vaccine exemptions. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, for new or renewed insurance contracts.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcarePrevents insurers from penalizing providers treating patients with vaccine exemptions, protecting patient access and rights in healthcare coverage.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Public Health

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in committee · Tennessee · House May 27, 2026

HB 2097: TennCare - As enacted, extends the ground ambulance service annual assessment to June 30, 2027; changes the penalty imposed by the bureau on an ambulance provider for each day an assessment remains unpaid from $50 per calendar day to 5 percent of the principal amount owed per month for each month. - Amends TCA Title 71, Chapter 5, Part 15.

HB 2097 extends the deadline for ground ambulance providers to pay their annual assessment under TennCare from June 30, 2026, to June 30, 2027. It also changes the penalty for unpaid assessments from $50 per day to 5% of the unpaid amount per month. This bill directly affects ambulance providers in Tennessee who pay the annual assessment to TennCare. The key change simplifies penalty calculations by replacing daily fines with a monthly percentage charge, making the enforcement mechanism clearer.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExtends payment deadline and modifies penalties for ambulance providers under TennCare, easing financial burden to maintain service continuity in healthcare access.92% confidence

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in committee · Tennessee · House May 5, 2026

HB 2562: Boards and Commissions - As enacted, requires at least one hour of the board of medical examiners' required continuing education hours to be completed on topics related to nutrition; requires the same of the board of osteopathic examination. - Amends TCA Title 63, Chapter 6 and Title 63, Chapter 9.

HB 2562 requires medical and osteopathic license holders in Tennessee to complete at least one hour of annual continuing education on nutrition topics. This applies to all physicians licensed under the Board of Medical Examiners (Title 63, Chapter 6) and osteopathic physicians licensed under the Board of Osteopathic Examination (Title 63, Chapter 9). The bill amends existing education requirements to mandate this specific nutrition focus, replacing previous general education rules. The change would take effect on January 1, 2028, pending legislative approval.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates nutrition education for medical license holders, enhancing provider knowledge on a key health topic per amended education requirements.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing

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