HB 959 updates Tennessee's licensure rules for marriage and family therapists. It allows students in accredited programs to use titles like "marital therapy intern" while supervised, and clarifies that associate license holders must use "associate licensed marriage and family therapist" or "AMFT" (not implying full licensure). The bill creates specific pathways for associate licensure, requiring a 9-month exam deadline and supervised practice under approved supervisors, while defining "approved supervisor" to include AAMFT-approved professionals. These changes directly affect therapy students, trainees, and practitioners seeking licensure in Tennessee.
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 150 requires Tennessee's TennCare program to reimburse air ambulance services operating in the state at 67.5% of the federal Medicare rate for covered emergency or nonemergency transports to TennCare recipients. This applies to both public and private air ambulance providers with a Tennessee base of operations that bill for these services. The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 71-5-165 and related provisions to establish this specific reimbursement rate. It directly affects air ambulance providers serving TennCare patients within Tennessee. The policy change takes effect upon becoming law for transports occurring on or after that date.
HB 364 ("Emma's Bill") changes Tennessee's TennCare program to require health officials to consider a patient's overall medical condition - not just cost - when deciding what care is medically necessary. It directly affects TennCare patients (especially those with complex needs like mobility issues, cognitive challenges, or life-support equipment) and the Tennessee Department of Health (the "bureau" managing TennCare). The bill adds specific factors to review, including mobility, communication ability, need for constant nursing supervision, and reliance on ventilators or life-sustaining equipment, even if more expensive care is needed. This overrides the previous rule that required choosing the "least costly alternative" for all decisions. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.
HB 173 sets new minimum (100%) and maximum (120%) reimbursement rates for rural hospitals providing services to TennCare patients, directly affecting rural hospitals with 49 or fewer beds located outside urbanized areas. The bill requires these rates to be calculated based on each hospital's current federal Medicare reimbursement rates. It amends Tennessee Code to define "rural hospital" and mandates that TennCare's reimbursement levels align with Medicare rates for routine inpatient care. The director may seek federal waivers to implement this without expanding Medicaid eligibility.
HB 39, the "Menstrual Hygiene Products Accessibility Act," requires all Tennessee public school districts and charter schools serving senior high schools (grades 9-12) to provide free feminine hygiene products (such as tampons, pads, and menstrual cups) in all women's/girls' bathrooms, locker rooms, and with school nurses. These products must be available at no cost exclusively for student use, and the law takes effect July 1, 2025. The bill amends Tennessee law to mandate this access, replacing prior language that only authorized (but did not require) such provisions.
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.
HB 195 establishes separate reimbursement rates for ambulance services under Tennessee's TennCare program. Urban ambulance providers will be reimbursed at 67.5% of Medicare rates, while rural ambulance providers will receive 100% of Medicare rates for services to TennCare recipients. The bill also authorizes emergency medical equipment grants for for-profit rural ambulance service providers. These changes directly affect ambulance companies operating in rural or urban areas that bill TennCare. The policy aims to address cost disparities between service areas while maintaining existing billing frameworks.
SB 1377, the Voluntary Portable Benefit Plan Act, allows businesses to voluntarily contribute to portable benefit plans for independent contractors. These plans, administered by third-party providers chosen by the contractor, cover health, disability, unemployment, life insurance, and retirement benefits. Contributions can be made directly by the business or by withholding a portion of the contractor’s pay, but only with a clear written opt-in agreement and the ability to opt out at any time. The bill amends Tennessee law to ensure these contributions cannot be used to determine a worker’s employment classification as an employee or independent contractor.
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.
