[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6627424,"mediaKeyId","2728425-b076ae26a329fefe5705ceefb1a3180d","parentId",2728425,"title","Insurance committee advances multiple health and insurance bills; votes at a glance","audioSeconds",237,"startMs",559000,"endMs",796000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2728425-b076ae26a329fefe5705ceefb1a3180d&start=559&end=796","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2728425-b076ae26a329fefe5705ceefb1a3180d/thumbnail_559000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6627424/Tennessee/Insurance-committee-advances-multiple-health-and-insurance-bills-votes-at-a-glance","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6627424-f995623b50b769e50372093475687adf/orig.mp4?Expires=1773580706&Signature=a1Z1jOTzrk5E435iIO9qXlY-Z1yqxJlpKJyaQ1rEbRwzFDQALr1w7sBpvTSPSGkFfGzH58u4WXHOGXrPgsd8-fLwh77DZ8wXOO2T7ZNfGj9jYy1RQ2I5GTv-la49CZgDe1lmiZkMYPdXSeO1ZsmQu2FDyCA-UhCuiIbUnxoWIvgt77s5ape1B7eStl97qVJnvDuPuFwf7iwYk7mbO7EOii1fx53bzxffWrp045QKasxiU3g7IpywCulpQODlnTzSLjjyD94v~~NcUUmle3JSio8wde~2qrl0B4Xdo3PfcaGc5S1r2dtjS0TffM7DGMffA4Z6ljcKo-JHoF9K9vDDyA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","TN House of Representatives","date","2025-03-21T13:40:53.533Z","article","The Tennessee House Insurance Committee considered eight calendar items on March 19 and took votes on multiple bills affecting insurance coverage, pharmaceuticals, emergency medical services and school-based therapy studies.

Key actions and outcomes:

- House Bill 927 (sponsor: Chairman Hawk) — Clarifies \"expected benefit insurance\" (supplemental products that pay policyholders directly for lost wages or expenses). The committee voted to advance the bill to Calendar and Rules, 15–0. Sponsor explained the bill distinguishes supplemental products from major medical coverage.

- House Bill 1198 — Allows TennCare to utilize biosimilars as a cost-saving measure and requires the TennCare pharmacy advisory committee to consider biosimilars; it also permits step-therapy requiring a patient to try a biosimilar before covering a branded biologic. Committee approved 15–0 and referred the bill to Calendar and Rules.

- House Bill 195 (\"Save Rural Ambulance Act,\" sponsor: Chairman Martin) — Amends TennCare reimbursement for rural emergency and nonemergency ground ambulance services, increasing the reimbursement rate from 67% to 78.5% according to the sponsor. The committee adopted an amendment (5322) and voted to refer the bill to Finance, Ways and Means, 15–0.

- House Bill 296 (sponsor: Representative Love) — Directs a study by the Department of Education (TESSAR referenced in testimony) on the feasibility and benefits of providing insurance coverage for speech therapy for students with communication disorders. Committee votes to advance the bill to Finance, Ways and Means, 17–0.

- House Bill 15 (sponsor: Representative Love) — Sickle cell-related legislation was rolled to next year's calendar at the sponsor's request to allow further coordination with the Department of Health.

Other items: House Bill 484 (biomarker testing) was debated in depth and is covered in a separate report; House Bill 295 (doula verification and reimbursement) was postponed one week after public testimony and committee questions about verification, fees and implementation.

All vote tallies listed above reflect committee roll calls recorded by the clerk during the March 19 hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Insurance Committee- March 19, 2025- House Hearing Room 1","oneSentenceSummary","On March 19 the Tennessee House Insurance Committee voted on several bills, passing measures on supplemental 'expected benefit' insurance, biosimilars, ambulance reimbursement increases, a speech-therapy study for students, and advancing others to later committees or calendars.","taxTitle","Insurance, House of Representatives, Committees, Legislative, Tennessee","taxId",35385,"location","Tennessee","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6627429,"House committee pauses doula reimbursement bill after hours of testimony and questions over verification, fees",503,2369000,2872000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2728425-b076ae26a329fefe5705ceefb1a3180d&start=2369&end=2872","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2728425-b076ae26a329fefe5705ceefb1a3180d/thumbnail_2369000.jpg","/articles/6627429/Tennessee/House-committee-pauses-doula-reimbursement-bill-after-hours-of-testimony-and-questions-over-verification-fees","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6627429-29727020d211a17a2a879047b387ee62/orig.mp4?Expires=1773580706&Signature=oeU5L09YBrlQUKHSW80TMFEQZrI2tAUjBA~EH6C1KhMsj9UeZCWM4zzmSwqBsC3U0v2nPq9g8DY7qKCk~6gm5s1J~ctVyELiK-PbwMmCr1WLmEpV3rjyH0t9joqXElQuUmFPEa5S3jxt7tF9iq45kJb~IeG1elWyMX-Vf6EX2i598-89BUfTbT5Sw0Y5HSNQ4FHtIGUH7BJ7aE~IhTs4q9sZR5Bth1Xe0A4febnXZm8E7dXtEk-4EYvQGjPI-aqid0j7VVjF9QmUugPAXIaTRtTr8nru4~01lENmjMvNR3-~wSJ0dMWVdKV~fx30nA1IpVsC-j4sg0lvURz~3VBtrg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lawmakers on the Tennessee House Insurance Committee paused consideration of House Bill 295 on March 19 after more than an hour of public testimony and extended questioning about how a proposed verification process would work and whether it would be mandatory for doulas who do not seek insurance reimbursement.

Representative Love, sponsor of HB 295, told the committee the measure builds on a prior law that created a Doula Services Advisory Committee and would establish a verification process for doulas who choose to be reimbursed by insurance. \"The committee recommends that doulas who do not choose to work with TennCare or other health insurance plans are not required to go through the verification process,\" he read from the advisory committee report and told members that a waiver could be created for fees in cases of economic hardship.

Three witnesses testified. Angela Williams, identifying herself as a Nashville resident and public health advocate, urged the committee to give the bill full and fair consideration and said doula care \"saves lives and reduces health care costs.\" Rebecca Porter, president of the Tennessee Doulas Association and a doula for 30 years, said doulas support verification but raised concerns that a state-run board and associated fees would impose financial barriers. \"We do believe in equitable access to doula care,\" Porter told the committee, but she said many doulas operate on low incomes and a $400 state verification fee — mentioned in committee discussion as an assumed figure — could discourage participation.

Porter described existing certification pathways and said other states have used third-party verification models or limited lists of accepted programs (for example, TRICARE’s approach) rather than a state board. She said doulas currently can be reimbursed by some payers without a state board, citing her own experience being recognized by TRICARE through a portal.

Angela Mitchell Hill, a perinatal patient navigator and doula, urged alignment between policy and practice and said doulas deserve policies that help them earn livable wages while expanding access.

Committee members asked for clarity on whether verification would be mandatory for doulas generally or only for those seeking TennCare reimbursement, who would fund a state board and how fee waivers or vouchers would be administered. Representative Love and other members cited an advisory committee report adopted by that committee and said the report language supports a dual path: verification for those seeking insurer reimbursement and continued practice for others who choose not to verify.

After extended questioning and concerns about members not yet having the full advisory report in hand, Representative Hale moved to roll the bill one week. The committee approved the motion and postponed further action on HB 295 for one week to allow time for review and clarification.","House Bill 295, which would create a verification process for doulas and pave a path toward insurance reimbursement, was rolled one week after testimony from doulas and questions about certification, verification, fees and program details.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6627434,"Insurance committee advances bill to require coverage of biomarker tests for treatment and management",333,1143000,1476000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2728425-b076ae26a329fefe5705ceefb1a3180d&start=1143&end=1476","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2728425-b076ae26a329fefe5705ceefb1a3180d/thumbnail_1143000.jpg","/articles/6627434/Tennessee/Insurance-committee-advances-bill-to-require-coverage-of-biomarker-tests-for-treatment-and-management","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6627434-17a116f5ca1217921ba9472483433a80/orig.mp4?Expires=1773580706&Signature=I2kqrY7TEUzWlyqZMiXdl2NUq2F~S-uC0PvSPVjq3ODf5vqACBtgIZvePfVLlvVGWGuMdhf3mPlXKwkZ-koppyPbgg3m3DSHsD-I2g0Xapj1U2G91OLo-WPyQ-0Ej9wGHT0Ot9v992FAsmLZwtfZ1sPYDoVt~lHUTtMWBV41Iqy0eavrYUwuXfPscmwPRQKGBhGCQjgBaWyXfZl7GU0cgoZ4mABHjNh-j3KP1JpBsdeSWWfuWAzSoWsgs7vqS-duGwnIdKe1PmXGLnfCZHefOThgRYn6WmdXWc8oHad8zHk28aOBl-MyYsspUrTN94MzczPCvNPkTe10tnZ-WPReiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tennessee House Insurance Committee on March 19 voted 16-1 to advance House Bill 484, as amended, which would require insurers to cover biomarker testing when ordered by a provider for diagnosis, treatment and management of a condition. Chairman Martin, sponsor of the bill, explained the proposal and its guardrails.

\"The intent of this bill is to get patients across Tennessee the right treatment at the right time, timely diagnosis, and appropriate management for conditions,\" Chairman Martin told the committee, summarizing the amended language that excludes screening tests and requires that tests be supported by medical and scientific evidence.

Committee members pressed on where the bill draws the line between screening and treatment. Representative Kumar said the bill is aimed at tests used in treatment and management — for example, tests used to guide cancer therapy or to follow biomarkers after surgery — and not broad population screening. \"We need to make a distinction between these biomarkers if they are used for treatment and management of a disease versus screening,\" Kumar said during debate.

Representative Freeman described a personal experience supporting the bill. \"I truly don't believe that my wife would be here today if not for these biomarker screenings,\" Freeman said, arguing faster, targeted treatment can save money and lives.

Opponents raised concerns about mandating coverage for tests that insurers typically deny when used for broad screening, with one member noting the free-market argument for patients paying out of pocket for nonmedical screening. Supporters and the sponsor repeatedly emphasized that the bill excludes screening and is limited to medically justified tests.

The committee adopted amendment 5211 before the vote. On a recorded voice vote, the committee approved House Bill 484, 16–1, and referred it to the Government Operations committee.

With the amendment, the bill directs insurers to cover biomarker tests that are ordered by a provider for diagnosis, treatment or management when the tests are supported by medical and scientific evidence; it explicitly excludes general screening tests. The sponsor said the bill follows models enacted in other states and is intended to speed access to appropriate targeted therapies.","The Tennessee House Insurance Committee voted 16-1 on March 19 to advance House Bill 484, which would require insurers to cover biomarker testing when ordered by a provider for diagnosis, treatment and management of a condition; members debated a distinction between screening and treatment.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Insurance committee advances multiple health and insurance bills; votes at a glance

House committee pauses doula reimbursement bill after hours of testimony and questions over verification, fees

Insurance committee advances bill to require coverage of biomarker tests for treatment and management