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Committee backs bill barring TennCare reimbursement denial over immunization status, with carve‑outs for specialty care
Summary
House Bill 638, prohibiting TennCare reimbursement denials or refusal to treat based solely on a patient's immunization status, passed the Health Subcommittee after debate over exceptions for oncology, transplants and immunocompromised patients.
The House Health Subcommittee on Wednesday approved House Bill 638, a bill that would prohibit providers from denying care to TennCare or CoverKids enrollees solely because they are unvaccinated.
The sponsor said the bill mirrors recent legislation from Texas and is intended to protect low‑income families from losing access to essential care because of their personal immunization choices. The sponsor told the committee that CHIP (the Children’s Health Insurance Program) does not require immunizations and that the bill would make refusal to treat based solely on immunization status a TennCare reimbursement violation.
Representative McKenzie questioned whether a practice could forfeit its TennCare payments for refusing to treat, noting concerns about providers who maintain separate sick and well rooms to shield high‑risk patients. The sponsor said the amendment exempts oncology, organ‑transplant services and care for patients who are immunocompromised by disease or treatment.
Representative Mitchell urged caution and recalled Tennessee's previously high childhood immunization ranking, noting, "We were number 1 in childhood immunizations to now we're 35th in the nation," and warned that the state should protect public health. The sponsor responded that the bill preserves parental choice — including existing religious or moral exemptions — while preventing denial of TennCare services based only on immunization status.
Representative Hill moved the previous question; the clerk recorded 6 ayes, 2 nays and 1 present not voting. The chair announced that House Bill 638 moves on to Health Full.
