Healthcare

in committee · Tennessee · House Jan 14, 2026

HB 1102: Controlled Substances - As introduced, prohibits a healthcare facility from authorizing a licensed healthcare professional from performing a drug or alcohol test or screen on a patient who is pregnant, less than one year postpartum, or a newborn without written and oral consent; allows for a drug or alcohol test or screen to be performed without the consent of the patient in certain listed situations. - Amends TCA Title 33; Title 63 and Title 68.

HB 1102 requires healthcare facilities in Tennessee to obtain specific written and oral consent before performing drug or alcohol tests on pregnant patients, patients less than one year postpartum, or newborns. The consent must explain legal consequences, medical purpose, confidentiality, and be provided without coercion. Exceptions allow testing without consent only in medical emergencies where delaying treatment would endanger the patient or newborn. The bill also prohibits healthcare providers from refusing care due to a patient's refusal to test and ensures privacy protections extend to this patient group. It takes effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires informed consent for drug/alcohol testing in sensitive healthcare scenarios, protecting patient autonomy and rights without restricting access or coverage.95% confidence

Track

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Feb 12, 2025

SB 1418: Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services, Dept. of - As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Mental Health Volunteer Alliance Act." - Amends TCA Title 33; Title 49; Title 63 and Title 68.

SB 1418 establishes the "Tennessee Mental Health Volunteer Alliance Act," creating a statewide database of licensed mental health professionals who can volunteer to provide free counseling services at schools or public facilities within 24 hours after a traumatic event like a school shooting or disaster. The Department of Mental Health manages the database, verifies professional credentials, and coordinates volunteer requests submitted by school officials specifying their needs. The bill allocates $250,000 annually for database operations, travel reimbursement at federal rates, and unspent funds roll over to the School Safety Fund for purchasing safety equipment. This directly affects schools, students, and staff by enabling rapid mental health support after crises, while mental health professionals gain a structured pathway to volunteer.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates statewide database for mental health volunteers to provide free counseling post-crisis, improving access to mental health services per bill's core purpose.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Substance Abuse

Track

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 4, 2025

SB 267: Health Care - As enacted, clarifies that an additional license for a collection station is not required, without regard to where specimens are transported, as long as the medical laboratory owner of the licensed medical laboratory retains ownership of the medical laboratory and oversight of the collection station. - Amends TCA Title 68, Chapter 29.

SB 267 clarifies that medical laboratories operating collection stations in Tennessee do not need an additional license for those stations, regardless of where specimens are transported, provided the laboratory owner retains full ownership and oversight. This directly affects medical laboratories and their collection sites, eliminating redundant licensing requirements. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated § 68-29-122 to specify that only non-owner-operated collection stations require a separate license, while all stations must still follow board rules. The change takes effect July 1, 2025, streamlining operations for lab-owned collection points.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves redundant licensing barriers for medical labs, improving operational efficiency and access to testing services without restricting care.85% confidence

Track

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 20, 2026

SB 898: Women - As introduced, creates a pilot program to be administered by the bureau of TennCare to provide pregnant TennCare recipients improved maternal health care through remote patient monitoring for maternal hypertension and maternal diabetes. - Amends TCA Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.

SB 898 creates a pilot program to improve maternal health care for pregnant TennCare recipients diagnosed with hypertension or diabetes through remote patient monitoring. The program provides participants with devices to track blood pressure and glucose levels, transmitting data securely to healthcare providers for real-time monitoring and support during pregnancy and up to three months postpartum. Administered by the Bureau of TennCare, it requires at least 300 participants across multiple counties and mandates that a technology vendor (selected by the bureau) deliver devices, provide training, and coordinate with healthcare teams. The pilot must be operational within 180 days of contracting with a managed care organization and technology vendor.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates remote monitoring pilot for maternal hypertension/diabetes, expanding access to care for TennCare recipients through real-time health tracking and provider support.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Telehealth Women's Health

Track

in committee · Tennessee · House Feb 17, 2026

HB 1400: Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services, Dept. of - As introduced, directs the department to develop and implement a suicide prevention program; requires the department to submit a report to legislative committees with jurisdiction over health-related matters on this program and any suggestions from the department based upon the research conducted from the previous calendar year. - Amends TCA Title 33; Title 63 and Title 68.

HB 1400 directs Tennessee's Department of Mental Health to create and implement a suicide prevention program. The program must include community-based prevention efforts, support for individuals who have attempted suicide, research on suicide rates across diverse groups, strategies to reduce access to dangerous methods, and postvention support for affected families. The department must submit an annual report to health committees detailing the program's progress and research findings. This bill directly affects the Department of Mental Health and aims to improve statewide suicide prevention services through structured community partnerships and data-driven approaches.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareDirects creation of suicide prevention program requiring community-based efforts, research, and annual reports to strengthen mental health services per bill's explicit language.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Substance Abuse

Track

signed · Tennessee · Senate Apr 29, 2025

SB 849: Health, Dept. of - As enacted, requires the department to collaborate with an organization in this state to create or identify a continuing education program to provide healthcare professionals with information or training relative to maternal mental health disorders. - Amends TCA Title 63.

SB 849 requires Tennessee medical and osteopathic boards to create an optional continuing education course on maternal mental health for healthcare professionals. It directly affects physicians specializing in obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, and psychiatry, as well as certain psychologists. The course must cover screening practices, types of maternal mental health disorders, evidence-based treatments, and when to consult a psychiatrist. Boards must update the curriculum periodically to reflect new research and accept course completion as credit toward required continuing education.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates continuing education on maternal mental health for healthcare providers, directly advancing mental health services training per bill's requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

signed · Tennessee · House Apr 8, 2025

HB 62: Athletic Trainers - As enacted, authorizes athletic trainers to use dry needling to carry out the practice of prevention, recognition, evaluation, management, disposition, treatment, or rehabilitation of athletic injuries; requires the board of athletic trainers to establish minimum competency requirements for an athletic trainer to demonstrate in order to practice dry needling. - Amends TCA Title 49 and Title 63.

HB 62 authorizes Tennessee athletic trainers to use dry needling for preventing, treating, and rehabilitating athletic injuries, directly affecting licensed athletic trainers in the state. The bill requires the Board of Athletic Trainers to establish minimum competency standards that practitioners must demonstrate to safely perform dry needling. It clarifies that this practice does not constitute acupuncture under existing law. The policy change expands athletic trainers' scope of practice with specific safety safeguards, effective March 28, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands scope of practice for licensed athletic trainers to provide dry needling for injury treatment, improving access to non-acupuncture healthcare services without restricting coverage.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Feb 12, 2025

SB 1261: Insurance Companies, Agents, Brokers, Policies - As introduced, imposes requirements for health insurance issuers using artificial intelligence, algorithms, or other software for utilization review or utilization management functions. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 27; Title 56 and Title 71.

SB 1261 requires Tennessee health insurance companies, including TennCare and pharmacy benefits managers, to follow strict rules when using artificial intelligence (AI) for healthcare decisions like approving treatments. It mandates that AI tools must base decisions on individual patient medical history and provider recommendations - not just group data - and cannot replace licensed doctors in determining medical necessity. Insurers must disclose AI use in their policies, regularly review AI performance, and ensure patient data is handled securely under HIPAA. The law prohibits AI from discriminating or causing harm and treats violations as unfair claims practices, allowing patients to sue for damages.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires insurers to use AI based on individual patient data, disclose AI use, and maintain doctor involvement in medical necessity decisions - protecting patient rights and access to care.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates transparency, prohibits group-data reliance, and requires individualized AI decisions in healthcare to protect patient privacy and prevent biased outcomes, aligning with consumer protection regulations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Prescription Drugs Artificial Intelligence

Track

signed · Tennessee · House May 5, 2025

HJR 98: Memorials, Congress - Urges Congress to require the Department of Veterans Affairs to add certain COVID-19 treatments and anthrax vaccinations as pre-qualifying for care under the PACT Act. -

This resolution urges the U.S. Congress to require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to include veterans who received certain COVID-19 treatments (administered under Emergency Use Authorization before full FDA approval) and anthrax vaccinations as qualifying exposures under the PACT Act. It directly affects veterans exposed to these treatments during service, potentially expanding their access to VA healthcare and benefits previously reserved for those with toxic exposures like burn pits. The resolution also calls for Congress to investigate the military's administration of these substances, including whether they were given without proper consent or approval. As a non-binding resolution, it does not change VA policy but advocates for legislative action to address veterans' health concerns.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands VA healthcare access for veterans exposed to specific treatments/vaccinations under PACT Act, qualifying them for benefits previously reserved for toxic exposure cases.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransExpands PACT Act coverage to include veterans exposed to specific COVID-19 treatments and anthrax vaccines, increasing VA healthcare access for more veterans.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Memorials & Recognition National Guard & Reserve Veteran Healthcare

signed · Tennessee · Senate May 15, 2025

SB 890: Health Care - As enacted, revises present law relative to a patient's electronic health record and requires a health insurance entity to establish and maintain a provider access API and a prior authorization API; makes related changes. - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 47; Title 56; Title 63 and Title 68.

SB 890 requires Tennessee health insurance companies to create two digital systems: one allowing healthcare providers to access patient electronic health records and another for processing prior authorization requests (like insurance approvals for treatments). It also shortens the timeline for certain health insurance actions by changing the requirement from 10 working days to 10 calendar days. This law directly affects health insurance entities, healthcare providers, and patients by improving access to medical records and streamlining authorization processes. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurer APIs for EHR access and faster prior auth, reducing administrative delays to improve provider/patient access and efficiency.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates health insurers to implement provider access and prior authorization APIs, advancing digital healthcare infrastructure and data interoperability.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance