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SB0138 • 2026

TennCare

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68 and Title 71, relative to TennCare.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Bailey, Gant
Last action
2025-04-22
Official status
Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

TennCare Air Ambulance Reimbursement Act

This bill requires TennCare to pay at least 67.5% of Medicare's rate for air ambulance services used by TennCare recipients.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the bureau of TennCare to reimburse public or private air ambulance services that provide emergency or nonemergency care to TennCare members and have a base of operations in Tennessee.
  • Sets a minimum reimbursement rate of at least 67.5% of Medicare's allowable charge for participating providers.
  • Applies this requirement starting from when the bill becomes law.

Who It Names or Affects

  • TennCare recipients who use air ambulance services
  • Air ambulance companies based in Tennessee that provide care to TennCare members

Terms To Know

TennCare
The state's Medicaid program for low-income individuals and families.
Medicare
A federal health insurance program primarily for people aged 65 or older, but also covering younger people with disabilities.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the increased costs will be funded.
  • It is unclear if this change will affect other aspects of TennCare's budget.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee

  2. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2025

  3. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  4. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/15/2025

  5. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rule #83(8) Suspended, to be heard in Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee on 4/15/2025

  6. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2025

  7. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  8. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/2/2025

  9. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  10. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  11. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Insurance Committee for 3/12/2025

  12. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  13. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Insurance Committee

  14. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Tenncare Subcommittee for 3/4/2025

  15. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  16. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Health and Welfare Committee calendar for 2/12/2025

  17. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Tenncare Subcommittee

  18. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Health & Welfare Committee

  19. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Insurance Committee

  20. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C held on desk pending appointment of Standing Committees

  21. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  22. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  23. 2025-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  24. 2025-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 150
By Gant

SENATE BILL 138
By Bailey

SB0138
001327
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68
and Title 71, relative to TennCare.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 71-5-165, is amended by inserting
the following as a new subsection (b) and redesignating the existing subsection (b) and all
subsequent subsections accordingly:
(b) The bureau of TennCare shall reimburse a public or private air ambulance
service that bills for transports and has a base of operations in this state that provides a
covered emergency or nonemergency service to a TennCare recipient at a rate not less
than sixty-seven and one-half percent (67.5%) of the federal medicare program's
allowable charge for participating providers.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it,
and applies to reimbursement for transports that occur on or after the effective date of this act.