Healthcare

died · Tennessee · House Apr 23, 2026

HB 2585: Damages - As introduced, states that the amount of damages awarded as noneconomic damages must not exceed $1 million in a health care liability action arising from obstetric or maternity negligence resulting in the death or permanent injury of a pregnant or postpartum woman. - Amends TCA Section 29-39-102.

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.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareCaps noneconomic damages in obstetric malpractice suits, limiting patient compensation and restricting liability for healthcare providers.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 7, 2026

SB 2246: Hospitals and Health Care Facilities - As introduced, increases from 15 to 30 days, the time before the originally scheduled health facilities commission meeting at which an applicant's certificate of need application is to be heard by the commission by which a healthcare institution wishing to oppose such application must file written notice with the commission, and about which the applicant's published letter of intent in a newspaper of general circulation in the proposed service area of the project must contain a statement of notice. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 33; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68, Title 71 and Chapter 985 of the Public Acts of 2024.

SB 2246 extends the notice period for healthcare facility certificate of need applications in Tennessee from 15 to 30 days. This change directly affects healthcare institutions seeking to build or expand facilities (applicants) and those wishing to oppose such projects (opponents), requiring opponents to file written objections 30 days before commission meetings. The bill amends Tennessee law to require applicants' published notices in local newspapers to include a statement about this extended 30-day filing window for objections. The key provision streamlines the objection process by giving opponents more time to respond before commission hearings.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareExtends notice period for opponents to challenge healthcare facility expansions, increasing barriers to new facility approvals and limiting access to new services.85% confidence

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died · Tennessee · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 2558: Hospitals and Health Care Facilities - As introduced, increases from 15 to 30 days, the time before the originally scheduled health facilities commission meeting at which an applicant's certificate of need application is to be heard by the commission by which a healthcare institution wishing to oppose such application must file written notice with the commission, and about which the applicant's published letter of intent in a newspaper of general circulation in the proposed service area of the project must contain a statement of notice. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 33; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68, Title 71 and Chapter 985 of the Public Acts of 2024.

HB 2558 extends the deadline for healthcare facilities to file written opposition to new facility applications from 15 to 30 days before a commission hearing. This affects hospitals or healthcare institutions seeking to build or expand in Tennessee, as they must now give opponents more time to respond. The bill amends Tennessee law to require that public notices about proposed projects include a statement about this extended notice period. The change takes effect on July 1, 2026.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareExtends opposition notice period to 30 days, increasing hurdles for new healthcare facility approvals and restricting market entry for new providers.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

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signed · Tennessee · House Apr 24, 2026

HB 2498: TennCare - As enacted, prohibits the division from providing coverage or reimbursement for a medical procedure performed on, or administered to, an individual if the performance or administration of the procedure is for the purpose of enabling the individual to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the individual's sex, or treat purported discomfort or distress from a discordance between the individual's sex and asserted identity. - Amends TCA Title 71, Chapter 5.

HB 2498 prohibits Tennessee's TennCare program from covering or reimbursing medical procedures performed to help individuals "identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with their sex" or to treat "discomfort from discordance between sex and asserted identity." The bill specifically excludes coverage for gender dysphoria, gender identity disorders, or related mental conditions, but allows coverage for congenital defects, precocious puberty, disease, or physical injury. Existing treatments started before the law's effective date (July 1, 2026) may continue until March 31, 2027, with physician certification required for continuation. The bill directly affects TennCare beneficiaries, particularly transgender and non-binary individuals seeking gender-affirming care.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareProhibits TennCare coverage for gender dysphoria treatment, restricting healthcare services for transgender individuals under healthcare policy.95% confidence

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Feb 5, 2026

SB 2345: Boards and Commissions - As introduced, creates a rebuttable presumption that a license or renewal should be denied by the board of nursing if the applicant or licensee has a conviction for certain alcohol-related offenses that involved injury to another person. - Amends TCA Title 63.

SB 2345 creates a rebuttable presumption that the Tennessee Board of Nursing must deny a nursing license application or refuse to renew a license for applicants or licensees convicted within the last five years of specific alcohol-related offenses causing injury to others. These offenses include DUI (with blood alcohol at least twice the legal limit), vehicular assault, or similar crimes where injury occurred. The board may override this presumption only by providing written justification for approval or renewal. This bill directly affects nursing professionals seeking initial licensure or renewal who have recent convictions meeting these criteria. The law applies specifically to nursing licensure under Title 63 of Tennessee law.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRestricts nursing licenses for alcohol-related offenses involving injury, limiting healthcare professional access.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 23, 2026

SB 2621: Damages - As introduced, states that the amount of damages awarded as noneconomic damages must not exceed $1 million in a health care liability action arising from obstetric or maternity negligence resulting in the death or permanent injury of a pregnant or postpartum woman. - Amends TCA Section 29-39-102.

SB 2621 caps noneconomic damages at $1 million in medical malpractice lawsuits involving obstetric or maternity negligence that causes the death or permanent injury of a pregnant or postpartum woman. It directly affects patients, families, and healthcare providers in Tennessee by limiting compensation for non-monetary harms like pain and suffering in these specific cases. The bill amends Tennessee law to override existing damage award rules for health care liability actions under Title 29, Chapter 26. This change applies only to cases meeting the defined criteria of negligence resulting in death or permanent injury during pregnancy or postpartum care. The legislation does not affect economic damages (such as medical bills) or other types of medical malpractice claims.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareCaps non-economic damages at $1M in obstetric malpractice cases, directly limiting patient compensation for pain/suffering in healthcare liability actions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Feb 5, 2026

SB 1986: Anatomical Gifts - As introduced, permits medical examiners to deny an anatomical gift of a deceased whose death occurs under suspicious, unusual, or unnatural circumstances if the medical examiner believes one of the listed criteria is met; requires the procurement organization to provide certain listed information prior to and following the procurement of an anatomical gift. - Amends TCA Title 38, Chapter 7 and Title 68, Chapter 30.

SB 1986 allows Tennessee medical examiners to deny body or organ donations after death when the death is suspicious, unusual, or unnatural. Medical examiners may refuse requests if donation would harm forensic investigations, destroy evidence, delay autopsies, or conflict with their duties. Organ donation groups must now provide detailed pre-donation plans (including surgical approach) and post-donation records (photos, medical tests) to the medical examiner. This directly affects medical examiners, organ procurement organizations, and families seeking to donate a loved one's body or organs.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRestricts organ donation access in forensic cases, limiting healthcare service availability per anatomical gift provisions.85% confidence

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signed · Tennessee · House Apr 23, 2026

HB 1665: Health Care - As enacted, prohibits certain healthcare providers from knowingly or willfully asking a minor, or a health insurance issuer, managed care organization, or entity providing reimbursement for healthcare services from requiring or requesting a healthcare provider or facility to ask, certain gender-related questions for any purpose; makes other related changes. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 33; Title 47; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.

HB 1665 prohibits healthcare providers in Tennessee from asking minors specific gender-related questions (such as whether a minor feels normal in their body or identifies as a different gender) without a parent being physically present, fully informed, and providing written consent. The bill applies to all healthcare settings covered under Tennessee law and requires such questions to be directly related to a minor's current medical or psychological treatment. Exceptions include emergency care, mandated reporting for abuse, and situations where a minor is emancipated or a parent themselves. The legislation also bars insurance companies from requiring these questions for payment or penalizing providers who don't ask them. It amends multiple Tennessee code sections (Titles 4, 33, 47, 56, 63, 68, 71) to enforce these requirements.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRestricts healthcare providers from asking minors gender-related questions without parental consent, limiting access to gender-affirming care for minors.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 24, 2026

SB 2118: TennCare - As enacted, prohibits the division from providing coverage or reimbursement for a medical procedure performed on, or administered to, an individual if the performance or administration of the procedure is for the purpose of enabling the individual to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the individual's sex, or treat purported discomfort or distress from a discordance between the individual's sex and asserted identity. - Amends TCA Title 71, Chapter 5.

SB 2118 would restrict Tennessee's Medicaid program (TennCare) from covering or reimbursing medical procedures intended to help an individual live as a gender inconsistent with their sex assigned at birth or to treat gender dysphoria. The bill defines "medical procedure" to include surgeries and the prescription of puberty blockers or hormones. Exceptions are allowed for procedures treating congenital defects, precocious puberty, or physical injuries (but not gender dysphoria), and for existing treatments started before the law's effective date (with coverage ending March 31, 2027). The law would take effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRestricts Medicaid coverage for gender dysphoria treatments, including hormones and puberty blockers, limiting patient access to healthcare services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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failed · Tennessee · House Mar 10, 2026

HB 1852: Health Care - As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee mRNA Pharmaceutical Sovereignty and Safety Act," which prohibits individuals, including professional providers of health care and veterinary medicine, from administering any vaccine or other injectable solution that contains an mRNA vaccine or vaccine material. - Amends TCA Title 33; Title 37; Title 44; Title 47; Title 49; Title 53; Title 63 and Title 68.

HB 1852, the "Tennessee mRNA Pharmaceutical Sovereignty and Safety Act," would prohibit healthcare and veterinary providers from administering any vaccine or injectable solution containing mRNA technology. If enacted, it would directly affect medical professionals, clinics, and veterinary practices across Tennessee by banning the use of all mRNA-based vaccines and treatments. The bill amends multiple Tennessee Code titles to implement this prohibition, targeting mRNA-containing products specifically. It does not address other vaccine types or non-injectable treatments. The bill is currently pending in committee review and has not been enacted.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBans mRNA vaccines and injectables, restricting medical treatments and access to specific healthcare options prohibited by the bill.95% confidence

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