Healthcare

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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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Mar 10, 2026

SB 2499: 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.

SB 2499 requires TennCare-managed care organizations (MCOs) and pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) to reimburse claims for long-acting injectable HIV treatment and prevention drugs administered in pharmacies, clinics, or medical facilities. This directly affects TennCare enrollees needing these drugs, MCOs/PBMs contracted with TennCare, and healthcare providers administering the treatments. The bill mandates single reimbursement for each treatment - either as a pharmacy benefit or medical service, but not both - to prevent duplicate payments. It applies specifically to covered HIV drugs administered in approved settings, ensuring consistent coverage under TennCare.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates TennCare MCOs/PBMs to reimburse long-acting HIV treatment drugs, ensuring patient access to critical medications under coverage.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Prescription Drugs Primary Care

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 23, 2026

SB 2548: Medical Occupations - As enacted, allows a physician assistant to delegate medication administration to a certified medical assistant; adds categories of medications to the list of medications that a certified medical assistant is authorized to administer or prepare, and makes other related changes. - Amends TCA Title 63; Title 68, Chapter 11, Part 2 and Chapter 1042 of the Public Acts of 2024.

SB 2548 allows physician assistants (PAs) to delegate medication administration to certified medical assistants (CMAs) under specific conditions. It expands the list of medications CMAs can administer - including vaccines, topical treatments, oral medications, and certain injectables like transdermal anesthetics - while requiring clinics to verify CMA competency for these tasks. The bill mandates that PAs must collaborate with a physician, follow approved protocols, and cannot delegate tasks requiring clinical judgment (e.g., adjusting patient care plans). This directly affects PAs, CMAs, and ambulatory clinics in Tennessee, updating their scope of practice under state law.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands CMA scope to administer vaccines, oral/topical meds under PA supervision, boosting patient access to care without additional physician visits.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing

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in committee · Tennessee · House Mar 4, 2026

HB 2332: Insurance, Health, Accident - As introduced, prohibits a pharmacy benefits manager from reimbursing a contracted pharmacy for a prescription drug or device or a pharmacy service in an amount that is less than the greatest of certain listed amounts and makes other related changes. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 27; Title 56, Chapter 7 and Title 71, Chapter 5.

HB 2332 requires pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) to reimburse contracted pharmacies for prescription drugs or services at no less than the highest of four specified amounts: the pharmacy’s actual cost, 105% of the national average drug cost (NADAC), the wholesale acquisition cost (WAC), or the amount the PBM pays itself for the same item. This directly affects independent pharmacies that contract with PBMs, ensuring they receive fairer compensation for dispensing medications. The bill establishes an appeal process for pharmacies disputing low reimbursements and mandates that PBMs pay double the owed amount if they fail to meet the required rate, with adjustments required within 14 days of a successful appeal. It also prohibits PBMs from deducting dispensing fees from reimbursement calculations.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires PBMs to reimburse pharmacies at fair rates, protecting pharmacy access to medications and preventing reduced service access for patients.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

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in committee · Tennessee · House Mar 18, 2026

HB 2201: Massage Therapy - As introduced, enacts the "Interstate Massage Compact." - Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 63.

HB 2201 creates Tennessee's participation in the "Interstate Massage Compact," allowing licensed massage therapists to practice across participating states without obtaining separate licenses. It directly affects licensed massage therapists in Tennessee and future member states by establishing a multistate licensing pathway. Key mechanisms include forming an Interstate Massage Compact Commission to manage licensing, requiring background checks, enabling states to share disciplinary information, and prioritizing safety through standardized regulations. The compact aims to improve public access to massage therapy, enhance safety protections, prevent fraud, and support military members relocating with their families. This bill does not change Tennessee's existing massage therapy laws but adds a new cross-state licensing option.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables cross-state practice for licensed massage therapists, improving access to healthcare services without licensing barriers per bill's purpose.95% confidence

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Feb 5, 2026

SB 2008: Environment and Conservation, Department of - As introduced, enacts the "Climate Resiliency Fund Act." - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 3, Part 5; Title 9; Title 60; Title 67 and Title 68.

SB 2008 establishes the "Climate Resiliency Fund" to finance climate adaptation projects across Tennessee. It requires fossil fuel businesses (like coal and oil operations) that existed between 1995 and 2026 to pay cost recovery charges into the fund. The fund will support concrete projects such as flood protections, infrastructure upgrades, nature-based solutions, and healthcare programs addressing climate impacts like extreme weather and heat waves. Priority funding is directed to environmental justice communities facing higher climate burdens due to income, race, or language barriers.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill imposes cost recovery charges on fossil fuel businesses to fund climate adaptation projects, creating a dedicated budget stream for essential environmental services.95% confidence ✓ EnergySupports EnergyRequires fossil fuel businesses to fund climate adaptation projects including infrastructure upgrades, aligning with clean energy infrastructure investment and reducing fossil fuel reliance.85% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentEstablishes Climate Resiliency Fund financed by fossil fuel businesses to fund climate adaptation projects like flood protection and nature-based solutions, directly advancing environmental protection and climate resilience.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly funds healthcare programs addressing climate impacts like extreme weather and heat waves, aligning with healthcare funding indicators.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Coal Oil & Gas Coastal & Flood Protection Conservation Environmental Justice Substance Abuse

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