Healthcare

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Feb 18, 2026

SB 1380: Safety - As introduced, decreases from five to three the number of business days an ambulance service provider has to furnish to a patient or their authorized representative a copy of the patient's run record upon written request; decreases from five to three the number of business days an ambulance service provider has to furnish a copy of the patient's run record to a surveyor employed by the health facilities commission upon written request. - Amends TCA Title 56; Title 68 and Title 71.

SB 1380 shortens the deadline ambulance services must provide patient run records. It reduces the required time from five to three business days for both patients (or their authorized representatives) who request copies and for health surveyors working with the Health Facilities Commission. The bill amends Tennessee law in Titles 56, 68, and 71 to implement this change. This affects ambulance providers statewide by streamlining their response time to record requests. The policy change is procedural, focusing solely on accelerating access to medical documentation.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareShortens ambulance record request deadline from 5 to 3 days, improving patient access to medical records and streamlining provider compliance with healthcare documentation requirements.85% confidence

Track

died · Tennessee · House Apr 20, 2026

HB 1219: Health, Dept. of - As introduced, requires the department to establish and administer a pilot program for the placement of hygiene vending machines that dispense feminine hygiene products to students at no cost to the student in women's restrooms or locker rooms in each eligible school selected to participate in the program. - Amends TCA Title 49 and Title 68.

HB 1219 requires Tennessee's Department of Health to create a pilot program placing free feminine hygiene product vending machines (for tampons and sanitary napkins) in women's restrooms or locker rooms at eligible public schools. It directly affects public schools in grades 5-12 that have Title I schoolwide designation and serve a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students. The program prioritizes selecting at least two schools per grand division, with the department sourcing machines and products through partnerships or donations. The pilot begins for the 2025-2026 school year and applies only to participating schools, not all schools statewide.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill provides free feminine hygiene products in schools to address student needs, directly enhancing educational access for disadvantaged students in K-12 settings.92% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates free feminine hygiene products in schools via health department pilot program, improving access to essential health resources for students, aligning with public health access improvements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding Student Health

Track

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 20, 2026

SB 650: TennCare - As introduced, enacts "Emma's Bill," which requires that when making a determination of medical necessity, the bureau shall take into consideration the patient's overall condition and use such overall condition as a factor to determine the level of funding and what medical items and services the patient receives, even if such determination does not result in the least costly course of diagnosis or treatment. - Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 71.

SB 650 ("Emma's Bill") requires Tennessee's TennCare program to consider a patient's overall health condition - not just cost - when deciding if medical services are medically necessary. It directly affects TennCare patients (particularly those with complex needs like ventilator use or mobility issues) and the Tennessee Department of Health (the "bureau" making coverage decisions). The bill amends TennCare rules to mandate that reviewers assess factors like mobility, cognitive ability, need for supervision, and life-sustaining equipment, even if the chosen care isn't the least expensive option. This shifts the focus from cost-cutting to holistic patient needs in coverage determinations. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires TennCare to consider patient's overall health condition - not just cost - for coverage decisions, improving access for complex cases like mobility or ventilator needs.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

Track

in committee · Tennessee · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 1040: Boards and Commissions - As introduced, creates the Tennessee board of sign language interpreting. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 63; Title 68, Chapter 1, Part 1 and Title 71, Chapter 4, Part 21.

HB 1040 would create the Tennessee Board of Professional Sign Language Interpreters to license interpreters serving deaf, deaf-blind, and hard-of-hearing residents. The board would establish rules for issuing, suspending, or revoking licenses and set professional standards for interpreters. It requires the board to include representation from the deaf community (two members) and licensed interpreters (two members), plus one academic representative. This directly affects interpreters seeking licensure and Tennesseans who rely on sign language interpretation for communication access in healthcare, employment, and public services.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates licensing board for sign language interpreters to ensure qualified services for deaf/hard-of-hearing students, directly enhancing educational access in schools.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates licensing standards for sign language interpreters, directly improving healthcare access for deaf/hard-of-hearing patients by ensuring qualified communication support in medical settings.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing

Track

in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 29, 2025

HB 830: Boards and Commissions - As enacted, changes the qualifications for membership on the medical cannabis commission to include a patient caregiver and a subject matter expert with knowledge of how cannabis is cultivated, processed, shipped, distributed, or prescribed for medical use; specifies that the recommendations made by the commission to the general assembly may include policy recommendations. - Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 68, Chapter 7.

HB 830 amends Tennessee law to change membership requirements for the Medical Cannabis Commission. It adds two new membership categories: (1) a patient caregiver (with documentation of their patient relationship), and (2) a subject matter expert knowledgeable in cannabis cultivation, processing, shipping, distribution, or medical prescription. The bill also updates the commission’s reporting duty to explicitly allow it to include policy recommendations in its reports to the Tennessee General Assembly. This enacted law (effective April 29, 2025) directly affects who serves on the commission and the scope of its advisory role.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAdds patient caregiver and cannabis expert to commission, enabling policy recommendations for medical cannabis access, improving healthcare access for patients.90% confidence

Track

in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 9, 2025

HB 1084: Health, Dept. of - As introduced, requires the department to establish and administer a grant program to reimburse local education agencies, public charter schools, private schools, and medical first responders for the costs of anti-choking devices purchased by the local education agency, public charter school, private school, or medical first responder on or after July 1, 2025. - Amends TCA Title 49 and Title 68.

HB 1084 creates a state grant program to reimburse local schools (including public charter and private schools) and medical first responders for purchasing anti-choking devices. The program covers one device per school cafeteria and one device per emergency vehicle used by medical first responders, starting July 1, 2025. It limits total reimbursements to $500,000 and requires annual reports to the legislature detailing applications, awards, and funds used. The program expires on July 1, 2028, and requires separate legislative funding approval to operate.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides state reimbursement for schools to purchase anti-choking devices, directly funding school safety infrastructure and protecting student health within education context.92% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds anti-choking devices for schools and medical first responders, enhancing emergency response capabilities in healthcare settings.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice

Track

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Feb 10, 2025

SB 205: TennCare - As introduced, requires a TennCare health benefit plan renewed or issued on or after July 1, 2025, by a health insurance carrier to provide coverage and reimbursement for biomarker testing for preeclampsia in pregnant women. - Amends TCA Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.

SB 205 requires TennCare health benefit plans (for Tennessee's Medicaid program) renewed or issued after July 1, 2025, to cover and reimburse FDA-approved biomarker testing for preeclampsia in pregnant women. This directly affects pregnant TennCare enrollees, health insurance carriers providing TennCare plans, and healthcare providers who order the tests. The bill mandates coverage only when ordered by a physician following clinical guidelines, using tests that meet FDA standards for detecting preeclampsia biomarkers in blood or tissue. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, with TennCare able to seek federal approval for coverage through CMS waivers.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates TennCare coverage for FDA-approved preeclampsia biomarker testing, expanding maternal health access and requiring reimbursement for physician-ordered tests.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Medicaid

Track

in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 30, 2025

HB 712: Disability and Aging, Dept. Of - As enacted, directs the commissioner and the director of TennCare to develop guidelines for service providers for hiring qualified family members as a family caregiver; specifies that the department and the bureau of TennCare shall not prohibit qualified individuals from employment as a family caregiver at a service provider agency based on certain listed criteria. - Amends TCA Title 52 and Title 71.

HB 712 requires Tennessee's Department of Disability and Aging and TennCare to create and publish guidelines for hiring family members as caregivers for individuals with disabilities receiving Medicaid services. It prohibits service providers from denying employment to qualified family caregivers based on factors like family relationships, residence, age, guardianship status, or specific Medicaid waiver programs (including Katie Beckett and self-determination waivers). The bill also prevents providers from reducing benefits for individuals with disabilities solely because care is provided by a family member, unless through the person-centered planning process. This directly affects family caregivers seeking employment, disability service providers, and individuals receiving long-term care services under Tennessee's Medicaid programs.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareHB 712 improves patient access to disability care by mandating guidelines allowing family caregivers, preventing denials based on family ties/residence, directly supporting healthcare access indicators.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits discrimination in hiring for family caregivers based on family relationships, residence, or other factors, protecting workers' rights and advancing employment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care Medicaid

Track

in committee · Tennessee · House Feb 5, 2025

HB 539: Consumer Protection - As introduced, prohibits healthcare providers from reporting a patient's medical debt to a consumer reporting agency; prohibits consumer reporting agencies from including on a consumer report a record of a medical debt. - Amends TCA Title 9, Chapter 8; Title 16; Title 18; Title 20; Title 21; Title 27; Title 28; Title 29; Title 45; Title 47; Title 63 and Title 68.

HB 539 prohibits healthcare providers from reporting patients' medical debt to credit bureaus and bars credit bureaus from including medical debt in consumer credit reports, effective July 1, 2025. It directly affects patients whose medical debt would otherwise appear on credit reports, as well as healthcare providers and credit reporting agencies. The bill allows healthcare providers to still work with debt collection agencies but makes violations subject to Tennessee's Consumer Protection Act, including fines and legal remedies. This policy change aims to prevent medical debt from negatively impacting credit scores without altering how providers handle debt collection.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits medical debt reporting to credit bureaus, protecting patients from credit score damage due to healthcare costs, aligning with patient rights protection.95% confidence

Track

passed · Tennessee · House Mar 13, 2025

HB 1236: Human Resources, Department of - As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Health SNAP Act," which requires the department to submit a request for a waiver from the United States department of agriculture's food and nutrition service to seek authorization to prohibit the use of SNAP benefits for the purchase of candy and soft drinks. - Amends TCA Title 71.

HB 1236, the "Tennessee Health SNAP Act," would require Tennessee's Department of Human Resources to seek a federal waiver from the USDA to prohibit SNAP (food stamp) benefits from being used to purchase candy and soft drinks. If approved, this restriction would directly affect SNAP recipients in Tennessee who currently use benefits for these items. The bill mandates that the waiver request include public health justification, a plan for retailer system updates, recipient education on healthy alternatives, and a tracking system for spending and health data. It also requires annual reports to state leaders on the waiver status and impact. The bill is pending Senate action and would take effect July 1, 2025, if enacted.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRestricts SNAP use for unhealthy items to promote public health, requiring health justification per bill summary, aligning with healthcare policy goals.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health

Track