SB 555 requires healthcare providers, clinics, facilities, and related entities in Tennessee to notify all health insurance companies they work with "as soon as practicable" if they experience a cyber-attack. This applies to any organization that contracts with insurers for patient care billing. The law mandates immediate notification to help insurers protect patient data and maintain billing systems during security incidents. It amends Tennessee health insurance codes (Titles 33, 56, 63, 68, and 71) to implement this requirement. The bill focuses solely on triggering timely communication about cyber incidents, not on preventing attacks or altering insurance coverage.
SB 1248 requires Tennessee health insurance carriers to provide equal coverage for mental health services as they do for alcoholism and drug dependence treatment. This bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated sections related to health insurance (including Title 56, Section 56-7-2360(c)) to mandate that coverage for mental health must be "to the same extent" as coverage for substance use disorders. It directly affects health insurance carriers and their plans, requiring them to ensure parity in benefits, reimbursement rates, and coverage criteria. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, applying to all new or renewed insurance policies after that date.
HB 1220, the "Tennessee Contraceptive Freedom Act," establishes a fundamental right for all individuals to make decisions about their reproductive health, including access to contraceptives and related information. It requires healthcare providers to either provide contraceptive services or refer patients to someone who can, and prohibits restrictions that single out contraceptive care or impede access. The bill defines "contraception" broadly (including emergency contraception and sterilization) and clarifies it is distinct from abortion. It applies directly to patients, healthcare providers, health insurance carriers, and public health agencies across Tennessee. The bill is currently pending, having failed in the Health Committee's Population Health Subcommittee on March 18, 2025.
HB 29 requires health insurance companies to reimburse chiropractic physicians at the same rate as medical doctors for identical services, using the same payment methodology. It prohibits insurers from creating separate chiropractic codes or rates to avoid this requirement, applying to standard medical coding systems like CPT. The law directly affects chiropractors and insurers, but excludes state Medicaid (TennCare), CoverKids, and government-provided insurance. Key provisions mandate equal reimbursement calculations based on nationally recognized codes, with no impact on existing payment structures for exempt programs. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.
SB 1376 prevents out-of-network ambulance providers from balance billing patients for emergency ambulance services covered under their health insurance plan. It caps patient payments at the lesser of their plan's in-network cost-sharing amount, the ambulance provider's full bill, or 325% of the federal Medicare rate for similar services in the area. Health insurers must count any payment made by the patient toward their deductible and out-of-pocket maximum. The law applies to health benefit plans issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2025.
