SB 805 changes the deadline for the Tennessee Department of Education to notify local school districts about available state and federal grants for mental health services in schools, moving it from October 15 to October 1 each year. This adjustment provides school districts with earlier access to information about funding opportunities to expand mental health resources. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Section 49-1-107, without altering the grants themselves. School districts (local education agencies) directly benefit from this timeline change.
HB 201 requires Tennessee's TennCare program to reimburse ambulance services at specific rates: 67.5% of Medicare's rate for emergency transports and 100% for nonemergency transports. It directly affects public and private ambulance providers operating in Tennessee that bill for services to TennCare recipients. The bill amends Tennessee law to set these reimbursement levels based on existing Medicare payment standards for participating providers. This policy change ensures ambulance services receive minimum payment rates aligned with federal Medicare benchmarks. The bill is currently under review by the Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee.
HB 654 requires most Tennessee health insurance plans (including TennCare and CoverKids) to cover mental health and substance abuse services through a specific integrated care model called the Psychiatric Collaborative Care Model (PCCM), starting July 1, 2025. This model involves primary care providers, care managers, and psychiatric consultants working together to coordinate treatment using validated tools. Insurers may only deny coverage for these services based on medical necessity if they already comply with existing state and federal parity laws. The law directly affects insurers, healthcare providers, and patients seeking mental health/substance abuse treatment covered by these plans.
HB 411, known as "Lucca's Law," requires Tennessee's TennCare program to cover medically necessary treatments for children with PANDAS (pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections) and PANS (pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome). It mandates that all TennCare-managed care organizations (MCOs) provide coverage for specific treatments - including antibiotics, behavioral therapy, immunomodulating medicines, plasma exchange, and IVIG therapy - without higher co-pays or delays, and prohibits denial based on prior treatment or diagnosis changes. The law also requires MCOs to use "autoimmune encephalitis" coding for billing until specific PANDAS/PANS codes are established. This directly affects pediatric patients with these conditions and their families, ensuring consistent access to covered care under TennCare.
HB 843 declares Perry County Community Hospital in Linden and Decatur County General Hospital in Parsons as "necessary providers" of healthcare services for federal critical access hospital (CAH) designation eligibility under Section 1820 of the Social Security Act. This enables both hospitals to qualify for federal CAH status, which provides crucial financial support and resources to sustain operations in rural areas. The bill directly affects these two specific hospitals, ensuring they can access federal benefits to continue serving vulnerable rural communities in Perry and Decatur counties. It requires the Tennessee Department of Health and Health Facilities Commission to facilitate the federal designation process.
HB 407 would create a $250 grant program for full-time students enrolled at Tennessee public colleges who voluntarily get tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). To qualify, students must provide their school with proof of testing that complies with privacy laws like HIPAA. The grant funds can only be used for tuition, mandatory fees, textbooks, or course materials related to their studies. The program requires future legislative funding to activate and would begin for the 2026-2027 academic year if approved.
HB 435 requires Tennessee healthcare facilities that receive public funds to cover costs from providing free care (uncompensated care) to automatically cancel an equal amount of patient debt. The facility must notify the patient about the canceled debt amount and stop all efforts to collect that portion. It also mandates the Department of Health and TennCare to submit annual reports detailing public funds used for uncompensated care. This bill directly affects healthcare facilities and patients with outstanding medical debt, changing how facilities handle debt collection after receiving public compensation.
HB 206 modifies Tennessee's involuntary mental health commitment process. It requires hospitals to notify the committing court when an involuntarily committed patient becomes eligible for discharge, including the basis for that determination and any outpatient treatment plan. The court can then hold a hearing within 21 days to decide whether to release the patient or return them to the hospital, based on the hospital's recommendation. This change affects patients under involuntary commitment, courts, hospitals, and designated family members or legal representatives who receive notification. The bill creates a presumption that the hospital's discharge determination is correct unless challenged.
SB 573 requires Tennessee public schools (including charter schools) to provide free feminine hygiene products in all women's and girls' bathrooms and locker rooms used by students in grades 4 through 12. Schools will be reimbursed by the state for the cost of these products. The bill also mandates a public health campaign to encourage individuals and nonprofits to donate products to eligible schools. It takes effect for the 2025-2026 school year.
SB 77 extends the expiration date of Tennessee's medical cannabis commission from its original sunset date to June 30, 2029. This bill directly affects the state's medical cannabis commission, allowing it to continue operating and overseeing the medical cannabis program. The key change modifies existing state law (TCA Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 68, Chapter 7) to update the commission's operational timeline. The bill does not alter the commission's duties or the medical cannabis program's structure, only its duration.
