Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

Tennessee House Bill HJR0080 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2	<BillNo> <Sponsor>
3	3
4	4	HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 80
5	5	By Leatherwood
6	6
7	7
8	8	HJR0080
9	9	001927
10	10	- 1 -
11	11
12	12	A RESOLUTION to designate May 2025 as "National
13	13	Hypertension Month" and to advocate for greater
14	14	access to innovative therapies.
15	15
16	16	WHEREAS, hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, affects nearly half of all
17	17	adults in the United States and is a leading risk factor for various cardiovascular diseases; and
18	18	WHEREAS, hypertension often goes undetected and untreated, leading to severe health
19	19	complications, including heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure, and contributing to nearly
20	20	500,000 deaths per year in the United States; and
21	21	WHEREAS, only about one in four adults in the United States have their hypertension
22	22	under control; and
23	23	WHEREAS, healthcare costs in the United States associated with hypertension account
24	24	for about $131 billion per year, while individuals with hypertension are estimated to face nearly
25	25	$2,000 higher annual healthcare expenditures compared to those without hypertension; and
26	26	WHEREAS, recent advancements in medical technology have introduced U.S. Food and
27	27	Drug Administration-approved renal denervation therapies as a promising treatment for resistant
28	28	hypertension, offering hope to patients who do not respond adequately to conventional
29	29	treatments; and
30	30	WHEREAS, renal denervation therapies have demonstrated clinical and real-world
31	31	results in reducing blood pressure and improving cardiovascular outcomes; and
32	32	WHEREAS, access to innovative treatments is essential for improving public health and
33	33	reducing the burden of hypertension-related complications; and
34	34
35	35
36	36	- 2 - 001927
37	37
38	38	WHEREAS, a recent scientific statement from the American Heart Association suggests
39	39	that "renal denervation presents a novel treatment strategy for patients with uncontrolled blood
40	40	pressure"; and
41	41	WHEREAS, the month of May is recognized as National Hypertension Month to raise
42	42	awareness about the importance of preventing, detecting, and managing hypertension; now,
43	43	therefore,
44	44	BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED
45	45	FOURTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE SENATE
46	46	CONCURRING, that we designate May 2025 as "National Hypertension Awareness Month" to
47	47	promote awareness, education, and prevention of hypertension.
48	48	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we encourage health providers, public health
49	49	organizations, and community groups to participate in activities and initiatives highlighting the
50	50	importance of hypertension management and prevention; advocate for the inclusion of renal
51	51	denervation therapies in health insurance coverage plans to ensure patients with resistant
52	52	hypertension can access this innovative treatment option; and support efforts to educate the
53	53	public about the risks of hypertension and the benefits of early detection and treatment,
54	54	including the potential role of renal denervation and other innovative therapies.
55	55	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we urge the Department of Health to promote best
56	56	practices for hypertension management and encourage TennCare to consider the inclusion of
57	57	innovative therapies such as renal denervation in Medicaid coverage.
58	58	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an appropriate copy of this resolution be transmitted
59	59	to the Commissioner of the Department of Health and the Director of TennCare.
60	60
61	61
62	62