Healthcare (Long-Term Care)

died · Tennessee · House Apr 8, 2025

HB 155: Death - As enacted, removes the limitation that a death must have been anticipated for a registered nurse to make the actual determination and pronouncement of death if a deceased was a patient or resident at a nursing home, hospital, or assisted-care living facility. - Amends TCA Title 68.

HB 155 amends Tennessee law to allow registered nurses to pronounce death for patients or residents in nursing homes, hospitals, or assisted-care facilities without needing to confirm the death was "anticipated." The bill removes this prior requirement and instead requires the attending physician's written agreement to sign the death certificate, which must be present at the time of death. This change directly affects registered nurses working in healthcare facilities by expanding their authority to formally declare death. The law took effect upon enactment (April 8, 2025), streamlining the death certification process for healthcare providers.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves unnecessary restriction on nurses' authority to pronounce death in healthcare facilities, improving procedural efficiency without impacting coverage or funding.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Hospitals Long-Term Care

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signed · Tennessee · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 579: Employees, Employers - As enacted, allows for eligible employees to be absent four weeks from work following a living organ donation surgery; requires the department of health to create living organ donor informational material and make such material available on the department's website. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 50; Title 56 and Title 68.

SB 579 would provide eligible Tennessee workers 12 weeks of job-protected leave for recovery after living organ donation surgery, with leave counted toward employment seniority. It prohibits insurers from denying coverage or charging more for life, disability, or long-term care insurance solely because someone is a living organ donor. The bill also requires the Tennessee Department of Health to create and post public educational materials about living organ donation by July 2025, covering benefits, risks, and insurance impacts. This bill directly affects living organ donors, employers, and insurance providers in Tennessee.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits insurers from denying coverage or charging more for organ donors, protecting access to health insurance and promoting organ donation awareness through public education.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides 12 weeks job-protected leave for organ donation recovery and prohibits insurance discrimination against donors, directly advancing worker protections in employment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care Substance Abuse Paid Leave

in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 9, 2025

HB 1158: TennCare - As introduced, requires the director to take such actions as the director deems necessary to enable the bureau to make available to an enrollee in Part A of the Katie Beckett program the option to use the wraparound home- and community-based services funds allotted to the enrollee by means of a health reimbursement arrangement, including seeking a waiver amendment or new amendment. - Amends TCA Title 71, Chapter 5.

HB 1158 would allow TennCare enrollees in Part A of the Katie Beckett program (children with disabilities requiring long-term care) to use their allocated funds for home and community-based services through health reimbursement arrangements. The bill requires the TennCare director to take necessary actions, including seeking federal waiver amendments, to enable this option. It directly affects families enrolled in the Katie Beckett program who currently access care funding through traditional methods. The policy change aims to provide greater flexibility in how these funds are utilized for care services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands access to home/community-based services for disabled children by enabling flexible fund usage via health reimbursement arrangements under TennCare, improving patient access options.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care Medicaid

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in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 28, 2026

HB 427: Employees, Employers - As enacted, allows for eligible employees to be absent four weeks from work following a living organ donation surgery; requires the department of health to create living organ donor informational material and make such material available on the department's website. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 50; Title 56 and Title 68.

HB 427 provides 12 weeks of job-protected leave for eligible employees recovering from living organ donation surgery, including state workers with 12+ months of service and private-sector employees covered under federal FMLA rules. It prohibits insurers from denying or altering life, disability, or long-term care insurance coverage based solely on someone being a living organ donor. The bill also requires Tennessee's Department of Health to create and post public educational materials about living donation benefits, risks, and insurance impacts by July 2025. These provisions directly affect living organ donors, their employers, and insurance providers across Tennessee.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits insurance denial based on donor status, mandates job-protected leave for organ donation recovery, and requires health department educational materials - directly advancing patient access and rights in healthcare.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides 12 weeks job-protected leave for organ donation recovery and prohibits insurance discrimination based on donor status, directly advancing worker benefits and protections under employment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Long-Term Care Paid Leave

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in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 8, 2025

HB 584: Hospitals and Health Care Facilities - As enacted, extends by four years to June 30, 2029, the current 125-bed limitation on the number of new nursing home beds for which the health facilities commission may issue a certificate of need per fiscal year. - Amends TCA Section 68-11-1619.

HB 584 extends the expiration date of Tennessee's annual limit on new nursing home beds from June 30, 2025, to June 30, 2029. The bill maintains the current cap of 125 new nursing home beds per fiscal year that the Health Facilities Commission can approve through its certificate of need process. This change directly affects nursing home operators seeking to expand their facilities and the commission responsible for reviewing such requests. The bill does not alter the 125-bed limit but only extends the period during which it remains in effect.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareExtends 125-bed annual cap on nursing home expansions, maintaining restrictions on new facility capacity and limiting patient access to nursing home beds.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 20, 2026

SB 1395: Budget Procedures - As introduced, authorizes grant payments under the grant assistance program for nursing home care to be made either monthly or quarterly. - Amends TCA Title 3; Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 9; Title 10; Title 11; Title 12; Title 13; Title 16; Title 17; Title 18; Title 29; Title 33; Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 41; Title 42; Title 43; Title 44; Title 45; Title 47; Title 48; Title 49; Title 50; Title 53; Title 54; Title 55; Title 56; Title 57; Title 58; Title 59; Title 60; Title 61; Title 62; Title 63; Title 64; Title 65; Title 66; Title 67; Title 68; Title 69; Title 70 and Title 71.

SB 1395 changes how state-funded nursing home care grants are paid. It requires payments to be made either monthly or quarterly directly to the nursing home resident or their legally authorized representative, not to the nursing home facility itself. This applies to all recipients of these specific grants under Tennessee law, ensuring funds go directly to individuals who need care. The bill amends multiple sections of the Tennessee Code to implement this payment method change, effective July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRedirects nursing home grant payments directly to residents, protecting patient rights and ensuring funds reach care recipients per bill summary.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care

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signed · Tennessee · Senate Apr 8, 2025

SB 515: Hospitals and Health Care Facilities - As enacted, extends by four years to June 30, 2029, the current 125-bed limitation on the number of new nursing home beds for which the health facilities commission may issue a certificate of need per fiscal year. - Amends TCA Section 68-11-1619.

SB 515 extends Tennessee's current limit of 125 new nursing home beds per fiscal year for which the health facilities commission may approve (via certificate of need) until June 30, 2029, instead of expiring in 2025. This directly affects nursing home facilities seeking to expand and the health facilities commission, which reviews and approves new bed applications. The key provision is a simple extension of the existing cap, not a change to the 125-bed limit. The bill became effective March 25, 2025, after being signed by the Governor.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareExtends 125-bed cap on nursing home expansions, restricting facility growth and limiting patient access to new beds per current policy.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care

in committee · Tennessee · House Jan 14, 2026

HB 1401: Budget Procedures - As introduced, authorizes grant payments under the grant assistance program for nursing home care to be made either monthly or quarterly. - Amends TCA Title 3; Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 9; Title 10; Title 11; Title 12; Title 13; Title 16; Title 17; Title 18; Title 29; Title 33; Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 41; Title 42; Title 43; Title 44; Title 45; Title 47; Title 48; Title 49; Title 50; Title 53; Title 54; Title 55; Title 56; Title 57; Title 58; Title 59; Title 60; Title 61; Title 62; Title 63; Title 64; Title 65; Title 66; Title 67; Title 68; Title 69; Title 70 and Title 71.

HB 1401 changes how nursing home care grant payments are distributed in Tennessee. It requires that payments under the grant assistance program be made either monthly or quarterly directly to nursing home residents (or their legally authorized representatives), rather than to the facilities. This ensures residents receive funds directly for their care, with payments specified as nonassignable and payable only to the individual. The bill amends multiple Tennessee Code sections to implement this change, effective July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill ensures nursing home grant funds go directly to residents (not facilities), protecting patient rights and improving access to care through nonassignable payments.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care

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