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SB1053 • 2026

TennCare

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 71, Chapter 5, relative to TennCare.

Children Healthcare
Active

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

Sponsor
Roberts, Lynn
Last action
2026-04-14
Official status
Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide details on how the additional funds will be managed or what specific actions beyond seeking waivers may be taken by TennCare's director.

TennCare Program Changes

This bill requires TennCare to allow children in Part A of the Katie Beckett program to use their wraparound home- and community-based service funds through a health reimbursement arrangement, including seeking federal waivers if necessary.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the director of TennCare to take actions needed to enable enrollees in Part A of the Katie Beckett program to use their wraparound home- and community-based services funds via a health reimbursement arrangement.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Children under the age of 18 who have significant disabilities or complex medical needs and are enrolled in Part A of the Katie Beckett program.
  • The director of TennCare and staff responsible for implementing these changes.

Terms To Know

Katie Beckett Program
A Tennessee state program that helps children under 18 years old who have disabilities or complex medical needs, even if their families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid otherwise.
Medicaid
A government health insurance program that provides free or low-cost healthcare coverage to certain people and families with limited income and resources.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the additional funds for wraparound services will be managed.
  • It is unclear what specific actions the director of TennCare may take beyond seeking federal waivers or amendments.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2026

  2. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  3. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  4. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  5. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  6. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  7. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  8. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/9/2025

  9. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  10. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  11. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  12. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Insurance Committee for 4/1/2025

  13. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Insurance Committee to 4/1/2025

  14. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Health and Welfare Committee calendar for 3/26/2025

  15. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Insurance Committee for 3/25/2025

  16. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  18. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Tenncare Subcommittee for 3/18/2025

  19. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Tenncare Subcommittee to 3/18/2025

  20. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Tenncare Subcommittee for 3/11/2025

  21. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  22. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Tenncare Subcommittee

  23. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Insurance Committee

  24. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  25. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  26. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  27. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

The Katie Beckett Program helps kids in
this state
with disabilities and
complex medical needs under the age of 18.

The
p
rogram provides care for a child
'
s disability or medical needs, even if their parents make too much money to get
m
edicaid
, and

c
hildren can
receive
this care in their homes.
Part A of the program
helps chil
dren in
this state
with the most significant disabilities or complex medical needs.
For Part A, a
child must meet
"
institutional
"
level of care
, which
means the
child
would qualify to receive care in a medical institution like a hospital or a nursing home
but want care at home.

Children in Part A receive full
m
edicaid
b
enefits and also can get up to $15,000 in nonmedical services called home
-
and community-based services.

A child must have private insurance, and a premium may be required based on the fam
ily
'
s income
.

This bill requires the
director of TennCare
to
take those actions the director deems necessary to enable the bureau of TennCare to make available to an enrollee in Part A of the program the option to use the wraparound home- and community-b
ased services funds allotted to the enrollee by means of a health reimbursement arrangement. Such actions may include seeking a waiver amendment or new federal waiver.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HOUSE BILL 1158
By Lynn

SENATE BILL 1053
By Roberts

SB1053
002941
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 71,
Chapter 5, relative to TennCare.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 71-5-164, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(h) The director of TennCare shall take those actions the director deems
necessary to enable the bureau of TennCare to make available to an enrollee in Part A
of the Katie Beckett program the option to use the wraparound home- and community-
based services funds allotted to the enrollee by means of a health reimbursement
arrangement. Such actions may include seeking a waiver amendment or new federal
waiver.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.