Tennessee insurance subcommittee advances five bills, postpones one; key measures include mental‑health reimbursement and 12‑month birth‑control supply

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee House Insurance Subcommittee on Wednesday, March 5, voted to advance five bills to the full insurance committee and postponed one item for a week, moving measures on insurance‑code updates, a program repeal date, mental‑health reimbursement, annuity exemptions and pharmacy dispensing of year‑long contraception.

The action came during a roughly 12‑minute calendar session in which the panel heard short explanations from bill sponsors and recorded unanimous or near‑unanimous votes to send measures on to the full committee.

House Bill 1304, introduced by Chairman Hill, was described as “an administration bill that updates the insurance code,” and, as amended, repeals references to “mini COBRA,” expands farm‑insurance options and includes provisions aimed at industry transparency. Chairman Hill said, “House Bill 13 oh 4 is an administration bill that updates the insurance code. It, repeals, mini cobra, which has outdated references, expands farm insurance options, improves industry transparency, and pending any questions, I seek passage.” The committee voted to adopt the amendment and then voted to advance the bill; the clerk recorded the final tally as 5 ayes, 0 nays. The bill was sent to the full insurance committee.

Representative Reeves explained House Bill 1318 as a technical change to a state program’s repeal date. “HB 13 18 moves the repeal date of Access TN from June thirtieth of 20 25 to February,” Reeves said, noting that Access TN is a state‑sponsored program for a limited group of current members. The sponsor said current enrollment is 36 members and that new enrollment has been closed since 2015. The committee voted 5‑0 to advance the bill to the full committee.

House Bill 654, sponsored by Chairman Hicks, would require commercial health insurers to reimburse mental‑health services provided through a federally recognized collaborative psychiatric care model that embeds psychiatric expertise in primary‑care settings. Chairman Hicks said the statute would “allow for greater specialty coverage and hopefully expand mental health care in our state.” He added that the state employee health benefit plan is included in the bill. Chairman Kumar voiced support, saying the model could help address shortages in psychiatric care by integrating psychiatric expertise into primary care. The subcommittee adopted an amendment and approved the bill 5‑0, forwarding it to the full committee.

Representative Shaw described House Bill 1045 as strengthening existing protections for annuities and life‑insurance‑policy proceeds from creditor claims. Shaw said, “This bill clarifies that the net amount payable under our life insurance policy are annuity contracts that is for the benefit of the owner, spouse, children, or dependents, relatives is exempt from all claims of creditors, including execution, attachments, seizures, and gunner shipments.” The measure passed on a 5‑0 vote and will go to the full insurance committee.

House Bill 169, by Chair Lady Halton Haynes, was amended and explained to permit a prescribing health‑care provider to direct that a pharmacy dispense a 12‑month supply of birth control when the prescription is for that quantity; the sponsor explained a prescriber may also instruct that a smaller supply be provided. The subcommittee approved the amendment, then voted 5‑0 to advance the bill to the full committee.

House Bill 484 was not considered on the floor of the subcommittee; members announced it had been rolled for one week and will return to a future calendar.

Votes at a glance: - HB 1304 (as amended): passes, advances to full insurance committee; final reported vote 5‑0. - HB 1318: passes, advances to full insurance committee; vote 5‑0. (Access TN enrollment stated as 36; new enrollment closed in 2015.) - HB 484: rolled one week (postponed). - HB 654 (as amended): passes, advances to full insurance committee; vote 5‑0. (Requires commercial insurers to reimburse collaborative psychiatric care in primary‑care settings; includes state employee health plan.) - HB 1045: passes, advances to full insurance committee; vote 5‑0. - HB 169 (as amended): passes, advances to full insurance committee; vote 5‑0. (Barcode for amendment recorded as 3958.)

No members requested recorded dissent during the roll calls on these items, and there was little extended debate on any bill; most sponsors offered short explanatory comments and then stood for questions, of which there were few. The subcommittee adjourned after completing the calendar.

(Quotes above are taken verbatim from committee proceedings and attributed to speakers as recorded in the transcript.)