HB 372, the "Tennessee Medicaid Modernization and Access Act of 2025," aligns TennCare’s reimbursement rates for key healthcare services - obstetrics/gynecology, primary care, outpatient mental health, and substance use disorder treatment - with either the Medicare fee schedule or average commercial rates in Tennessee, whichever is higher. This change directly affects healthcare providers who serve Medicaid patients and Medicaid beneficiaries, particularly in rural and underserved areas, by ensuring providers receive fairer compensation. The bill requires annual reviews to update rates based on Medicare or commercial benchmarks and mandates new annual reports on fiscal impacts and access improvements. It does not automatically appropriate funds but requires future budget allocations to cover implementation costs.
HB 1103, the "Tennessee for Tampons Act," requires all public colleges and universities in Tennessee to provide free feminine hygiene products (like tampons and sanitary napkins) in every women's and girls' bathroom and locker room by July 1, 2025. It directly affects public higher education institutions and their students, aiming to address accessibility issues highlighted by student surveys. The bill mandates that schools collaborate with student governments and maintenance staff to administer and restock these products. This policy change ensures consistent access to essential hygiene items without requiring additional student funding or advocacy.
SB 606 (now Public Chapter 339) sets specific fee limits for copying medical records in Tennessee. It caps paper copy costs at $25 for 5 pages or less (50¢ per page after), and electronic copies at $5 for 10 pages or less (25¢ per page after). The bill directly affects patients, healthcare providers, and third-party record release companies by limiting charges for both paper and electronic records. Key provisions include flat $20 fees for certification/notarization and $20-$25 caps for radiology images, while ensuring records are provided electronically upon request unless not maintained digitally. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.
HJR 100 is a resolution urging Tennessee’s opioid abatement council and participating counties to allocate at least 25% of opioid settlement fund expenditures toward distributing and promoting overdose reversal medications like Narcan. It directly affects the state’s opioid abatement council and counties that joined the opioid settlement agreement. The resolution requires these entities to prioritize funding for initiatives that save lives through medication access, rather than other uses of the fund. This is a non-binding recommendation, not a new law, aimed at accelerating reductions in overdose deaths.
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.
HB 658 expands the scope of practice for athletic trainers in Tennessee by allowing them to treat conditions that limit or prevent participation in physical activities (not just injuries), directly affecting athletes and patients seeking preventive or rehabilitative care. The bill clarifies athletic trainers are healthcare providers and authorizes specific new procedures, including blood glucose monitoring, dry needling, and intravenous fluid administration. It amends licensing requirements to align with these expanded duties, requiring board certification and specific training for these new practices. The changes apply to all licensed athletic trainers practicing under physician supervision in the state.
SB 1198 declares Perry County Community Hospital in Linden and Decatur County General Hospital in Parsons as "necessary providers" for critical access hospital designation under federal law (Section 1820 of the Social Security Act). This directly enables both hospitals to qualify for federal support and resources tied to critical access hospital status. The bill requires Tennessee's Department of Health and Health Facilities Commission to facilitate this federal designation process. The law aims to stabilize these rural hospitals, ensuring continued healthcare access for communities in Perry and Decatur Counties.
SB 1382 requires Tennessee's Commerce and Insurance Commissioner to study whether insurers' online processes for step therapy exceptions (where patients must try cheaper treatments first) are easy for patients and doctors to use. The study specifically examines if insurers comply with state law without creating unnecessary barriers for requesting exceptions, particularly for conditions like advanced cancer. The commissioner must report findings and recommendations to lawmakers by December 15, 2025. This bill affects patients and healthcare providers seeking coverage for treatments that require step therapy exceptions, but it does not change coverage rules - only studies current processes.
HB 960 requires Tennessee's medical, osteopathic, and psychology licensing boards to develop and offer an optional continuing education course on maternal mental health. This affects physicians specializing in obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, or psychiatry, as well as certain psychologists. The course must cover screening practices, types of maternal mental health disorders, effective treatment options (including patient involvement in care plans), and when to consult a specialist versus making a referral. Successful completion of this course counts toward required continuing education for license renewal.
The "School Safety and Mental Health Act" requires every public school in Tennessee to employ at least one full-time licensed school counselor. It creates a state grant program for school safety infrastructure improvements, mandating that school districts detail how funds will address safety needs identified in security assessments and support charter schools. Districts must comply with all state school safety laws to qualify for grants, and unspent funds must carry forward to future years. The law becomes effective on July 1, 2025.
