Healthcare (Hospitals)

HB 819 removes a regulatory requirement for acute care hospitals in Tennessee. It exempts these hospitals - defined as facilities treating patients with an average stay of 25 days or less - from needing state approval (a "certificate of need") to open or operate new facilities or expand services. The exemption takes effect on July 1, 2028, and applies to all acute care hospitals under Tennessee law. This change directly affects hospital operators by reducing one layer of state oversight for their facility planning.

HB 979 establishes a new licensure process for anesthesiologist assistants in Tennessee, directly affecting these healthcare professionals and hospitals that employ them. The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 63-1-160(g) and related provisions in Titles 47, 63, and 68, removing restrictions that previously limited hospitals from employing certain licensed physicians for specific medical services. This change updates hospital staffing rules to align with current healthcare practices. The law became effective on July 1, 2025, following the Governor's signature on May 21, 2025.

SB 853 proposes to replace Tennessee's current certificate of need (CON) system with the "Tennessee Healthcare Quality and Access Act of 2025." It requires state approval (a certificate of need) before healthcare facilities can build new structures, increase bed counts (especially in nursing homes), or relocate, aiming to regulate facility expansion. The bill includes exemptions for relocations if at least 95% of current patients remain in the same zip codes, access for underserved communities isn't reduced, and commercial insurance doesn't increase disproportionately. This directly affects hospitals, nursing homes, and healthcare providers seeking major facility changes, with the Health Facilities Commission overseeing applications and enforcement.

HB 32 removes legal restrictions preventing hospitals and certain healthcare facilities from directly employing radiologists, pathologists, anesthesiologists, and emergency physicians. The bill amends Tennessee law (specifically Titles 47, 63, and 68) by deleting provisions that previously barred these specialists from being classified as "physicians" under employment rules or required indirect employment models. This change allows hospitals to hire these physicians directly or through third-party agreements without violating state regulations. The policy affects hospitals, healthcare facilities, and the specified physician specialties by eliminating prior barriers to direct employment.