SB 2279 requires Tennessee's Department of Health to publish all inspection criteria used for pain management clinics on its website, making compliance standards transparent for clinics. It mandates that the department publicly share the criteria for identifying "high-risk" prescribers (based on patient overdose rates) and remove such designations after prescribers complete required training. The bill also exempts pain management specialists from the high-risk prescriber list and allows them to temporarily cover for medical directors without counting toward the four-clinic limit for medical directors. These changes directly affect pain management clinics, prescribers, and pain management specialists by clarifying regulatory expectations and providing pathways to address high-risk designations.
SB 2153 would authorize Tennessee’s Department of Health to create a voluntary home visiting program for children aged birth to five and their families. The program provides evidence-based, home-based support through licensed clinicians to improve child mental health, reduce abuse/neglect risks, and strengthen family stability for families facing stressors like poverty or trauma. It requires care coordination to connect families with medical, housing, and social services, and mandates contracting with qualified nonprofit providers trained in trauma-informed practices. The bill also requires annual reports to the legislature tracking families served, outcomes, and funding sources, with implementation pending committee action.
SB 1753 amends Tennessee law to prohibit using the terms "clinical informatics," "lifestyle medicine," or "medical virtualist" after a person’s name to mislead others into believing they are licensed to practice medicine or osteopathic medicine. The bill directly affects healthcare professionals who might use these titles without proper medical licensure. It adds these specific terms to the existing list of prohibited designations under Tennessee Code Annotated Sections 63-6-204(m)(1) and related chapters. The legislation aims to prevent public confusion about who is legally authorized to provide medical care. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee after passing initial committee stages.
SB 579 would provide eligible Tennessee workers 12 weeks of job-protected leave for recovery after living organ donation surgery, with leave counted toward employment seniority. It prohibits insurers from denying coverage or charging more for life, disability, or long-term care insurance solely because someone is a living organ donor. The bill also requires the Tennessee Department of Health to create and post public educational materials about living organ donation by July 2025, covering benefits, risks, and insurance impacts. This bill directly affects living organ donors, employers, and insurance providers in Tennessee.
HB 1984 expands access to buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder by allowing more healthcare providers to directly administer buprenorphine mono or buprenorphine without naloxone, as long as they act within their scope of practice. It specifically permits prescribing these medications to nursing mothers and patients with documented adverse reactions to naloxone, and clarifies that prescribing injectable forms doesn’t restrict providers from later prescribing non-naloxone buprenorphine. The bill amends Tennessee’s pharmacy law (TCA Title 53, Chapter 11) to remove barriers for these specific scenarios. This directly affects healthcare providers (like nurse practitioners or physician assistants) and patients seeking opioid treatment, particularly nursing mothers and those with allergies to naloxone.
SB 1389 prohibits healthcare providers participating in Tennessee's TennCare or CoverKids programs from refusing to treat patients solely because they decline vaccines or immunizations. It requires the state to stop reimbursing providers who violate this rule and mandates the TennCare director to create implementing regulations. The law excludes oncology and organ transplant specialists from the prohibition. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, with rules to be established under state administrative procedures.
HB 2585 would cap noneconomic damages at $1 million in medical malpractice lawsuits involving obstetric or maternity negligence that causes a pregnant or postpartum woman's death or permanent injury. It directly affects patients (or their families) who might file such lawsuits and healthcare providers facing these claims. The bill amends Tennessee law to limit compensation for pain, suffering, and emotional distress (noneconomic damages) to $1 million in these specific cases, while leaving economic damages (like medical bills) unaffected. This is a concrete policy change to restrict damage awards in a defined subset of medical liability cases.
HB 1741 requires insurers covering incarcerated individuals in Tennessee to treat FDA-approved non-opioid pain medications equally with opioids on their preferred drug lists (PDL). Specifically, insurers must not disadvantage or discourage coverage for non-opioid pain treatments compared to opioids, provided the non-opioid has been FDA-approved for pain management for at least nine months. The bill applies to all insurance policies covering inmates, including those through TennCare or private insurers, and amends multiple Tennessee Code titles related to healthcare coverage. It takes effect January 1, 2027, and does not prevent insurers from favoring one opioid over another or one non-opioid over another.
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.
SB 185 establishes minimum (100%) and maximum (120%) reimbursement rates for rural hospitals providing routine inpatient services to TennCare enrollees. It directly affects rural hospitals defined as those with 49 or fewer beds located in non-urban census areas. The bill requires these rates to be based on each hospital's current Medicare reimbursement rates for the federal fiscal year, rather than a fixed formula. The legislation is pending review by the Senate Finance Committee and has not yet become law.
