Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

Tennessee Senate Bill SB1248 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	SENATE BILL 1248
5	5	By Yarbro
6	6
7	7
8	8	SB1248
9	9	003228
10	10	- 1 -
11	11
12	12	AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4;
13	13	Title 8; Title 33; Title 39; Title 49; Title 53; Title 56;
14	14	Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71, relative to mental
15	15	health.
16	16
17	17	BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
18	18	SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 56-7-2360, is amended by deleting
19	19	subdivisions (a)(1)(E) and (F) and substituting:
20	20	(E) "Health benefit plan":
21	21	(i) Means a hospital or medical expense policy; health, hospital, or
22	22	medical service corporation contract; a policy or agreement entered into by a
23	23	health insurer or a health maintenance organization contract offered by an
24	24	employer; other plans administered by the state government; or a certificate
25	25	issued under the policies, contracts, or plans; and
26	26	(ii) Includes a plan of coverage under TennCare or a successor program
27	27	provided for pursuant to title 71, chapter 5;
28	28	(F) "Health insurance carrier":
29	29	(i) Means an entity subject to this title, or subject to the jurisdiction of the
30	30	commissioner of commerce and insurance, that contracts with healthcare
31	31	providers in connection with a plan of health insurance, health benefits, or health
32	32	services; and
33	33	(ii) Includes a vendor, as defined in § 71-5-103, or an entity that provides
34	34	a health benefit plan of coverage under TennCare or a successor program
35	35	provided for pursuant to title 71, chapter 5;
36	36
37	37
38	38	- 2 - 003228
39	39
40	40	SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 56-7-2360(b), is amended by
41	41	deleting "provided, that for purposes of a TennCare health benefit plan, additional criteria used
42	42	must ensure that benefit determination, including coverage and reimbursement for the treatment
43	43	of alcoholism or drug dependence, remain in parity with benefit determination for the treatment
44	44	of mental health disorders." and substituting "provided, further, that additional criteria used must
45	45	ensure that benefit determination, including coverage for the treatment of alcoholism or drug
46	46	dependence, remain in parity with benefit determination for the treatment of mental health
47	47	disorders.".
48	48	SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 56-7-2360(c), is amended by
49	49	deleting the subsection and substituting:
50	50	(c) Notwithstanding another law to the contrary, a health benefit plan issued by a
51	51	health insurance carrier must provide coverage for mental health services and treatment
52	52	to the same extent that the health benefit plan provides coverage for the treatment of
53	53	alcoholism and drug dependence.
54	54	SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 56-7-2360(e)(4)(E), is amended by
55	55	deleting the subdivision and substituting:
56	56	(E) A detailed explanation regarding parity in coverage and rates of
57	57	reimbursement for mental health services and alcoholism and drug dependency services
58	58	in compliance with § 56-7-2360(c);
59	59	SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 56-7-2601(e), is amended by adding
60	60	the following as a new subdivision:
61	61	(4) A residential or other mental health treatment facility licensed under title 33,
62	62	chapter 2, part 4.
63	63	SECTION 6. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 56-7-2601(g)(5), is amended by
64	64	deleting the semicolon at the end of the subdivision and substituting "; provided, that coverage
65	65
66	66
67	67	- 3 - 003228
68	68
69	69	for mental health treatment must remain in parity with coverage for alcoholism and drug
70	70	dependence coverage;".
71	71	SECTION 7. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it, and
72	72	applies to policies, plans, and contracts entered into, renewed, amended, or modified on or after
73	73	that date.
74	74