Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

Tennessee Senate Bill SB1198 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
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2	2	HOUSE BILL 843
3	3	By Haston
4	4
5	5	SENATE BILL 1198
6	6	By Jackson
7	7
8	8
9	9	SB1198
10	10	001614
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13	13	AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68,
14	14	relative to designation as a critical access hospital.
15	15
16	16	BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
17	17	SECTION 1. Short title.
18	18	This act is known and may be cited as the "Restoring Rural Hospital Access for
19	19	Perry and Decatur Counties Act."
20	20	SECTION 2. Findings.
21	21	The general assembly finds that:
22	22	(1) Rural hospitals provide essential healthcare services to this state's
23	23	most vulnerable populations and are often the only point of access to medical
24	24	care in their respective regions;
25	25	(2) Perry County Community Hospital and Decatur County General
26	26	Hospital have been fundamental in delivering healthcare services in Linden and
27	27	Parsons, respectively;
28	28	(3) Both Perry County Community Hospital and Decatur County General
29	29	Hospital previously served their respective communities as necessary providers
30	30	of healthcare services to area residents for many years, including years that
31	31	precede January 1, 2006; and
32	32	(4) The designation of these hospitals as critical access hospitals is vital
33	33	for their operational stability and for the enhancement of healthcare services in
34	34	rural Tennessee.
35	35	SECTION 3. Declaration as necessary providers.
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40	40	(a) The general assembly declares that the following are necessary providers of
41	41	healthcare services to area residents:
42	42	(1) Perry County Community Hospital, located in Linden, Tennessee; and
43	43	(2) Decatur County General Hospital, located in Parsons, Tennessee.
44	44	(b) Through its declaration in subsection (a), the general assembly recognizes
45	45	the indispensable role these hospitals play in their respective communities, and
46	46	acknowledges that prior to their closures both hospitals acted as necessary providers of
47	47	healthcare services, including during a number of years prior to 2006.
48	48	SECTION 4. Purpose.
49	49	The purpose and intent of this act is to enable Perry County Community Hospital
50	50	and Decatur County General Hospital to qualify for federal designation as critical access
51	51	hospitals pursuant to criteria established in Section 1820 of the Social Security Act (42
52	52	U.S.C. § 1395i-4), ensuring that those hospitals may receive the support and resources
53	53	needed to continue providing critical healthcare services.
54	54	SECTION 5. Implementation.
55	55	(a) The department of health and the health facilities commission shall take all
56	56	necessary steps to facilitate the designation of Perry County Community Hospital and
57	57	Decatur County General Hospital as critical access hospitals.
58	58	(b) The department of health and health facilities commission shall coordinate
59	59	with relevant federal agencies to ensure compliance with federal requirements and to
60	60	expedite the process of designation of Perry County Community Hospital and Decatur
61	61	County General Hospital as critical access hospitals and the delivery of the consequent
62	62	benefits of such designation.
63	63	SECTION 6. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance
64	64	is held invalid, then the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the act that
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69	69	can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to that end, the provisions of
70	70	this act are severable.
71	71	SECTION 7. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.