Health Care

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

Healthcare

Active

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

Sponsor: Lamar, Camper
Last action: 2026-03-17
Official status: Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Health and Welfare Committee
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Improving Maternal Health Services

This bill requires TennCare to set comparable Medicaid facility fee reimbursement rates for birthing centers and prioritizes federal grant funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program for birthing centers in rural and underserved urban counties.

What This Bill Does

Requires TennCare to create a methodology to determine Medicaid facility fee reimbursement rates for birthing centers that are comparable to those of hospitals.
Ensures annual increases in Medicaid reimbursement rates for birthing centers match the rate increases for hospitals.
Prioritizes federal grant funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program to birthing centers in rural counties and urban counties serving residents of rural areas.

Who It Names or Affects

Birthing centers
TennCare
Department of Health

Terms To Know

Medicaid facility fee reimbursement rates: The amount of money Medicaid pays birthing centers and hospitals for providing services.
Rural Health Transformation Program grant funds: Federal grants aimed at improving healthcare in rural areas.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify how the reimbursement rates will be calculated.
The bill does not provide details on how to prioritize funding for birthing centers in urban counties that serve residents of rural counties.

Bill History

2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Health and Welfare Committee
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Health and Welfare Committee calendar for 3/17/2026
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Health and Welfare Committee
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.
2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HOUSE BILL 2597
By Camper

SENATE BILL 2287
By Lamar
SB2287
012327
- 1 -

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

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 71, Chapter 5, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) As used in this section:
(1) "Birthing center" has the same meaning as defined in § 68-11-201;
and
(2) "Hospital" has the same meaning as defined in § 68-11-201(31)(A)
and (B).
(b) The bureau of TennCare shall:
(1) Create a methodology to determine medicaid facility fee
reimbursement rates for birthing centers that are comparable to rates for similar
services provided at a hospital; and
(2) Require annual increases to birthing center medicaid facility fee
reimbursement rates that are equivalent to hospital medicaid reimbursement rate
increases.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68, Chapter 1, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a)
(1) "Birthing center" has the same meaning as defined in § 68-11-201;
and

- 2 - 012327

(2) "Hospital" has the same meaning as defined in § 68-11-201(31)(A)
and (B).
(b) In making decisions as to the allocation of the federal rural health
transportation program grant funds received by the department from the centers for
medicare and medicaid services (CMS), the department of health shall give funding
priority to birthing centers in this state, with first priority to birthing centers in rural
counties, and second priority to birthing centers in urban counties that provide services
to residents of rural counties that do not have a birthing center or hospital with a
maternity ward.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.