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House approves bill to bar TennCare reimbursement for certain gender‑identity treatments
Summary
The Tennessee House approved House Bill 24‑98 on third and final consideration after debate over whether existing regulations already preclude TennCare coverage. Sponsors framed the bill as a statutory prohibition; opponents said rules already address the issue.
Representative Capley, the bill sponsor, moved passage of House Bill 24‑98 and described it on the floor as a statutory ban on TennCare reimbursement "for a medical procedure performed on or administered to an individual if the performance or administration of the procedure is for the purpose of enabling the individual to identify with, live as a purported identity inconsistent with the individual" or to treat distress from that asserted identity. Representative Capley renewed the motion and asked the House to vote in favor.
Representative Johnson challenged the need for the measure, saying "Regulations already prevent TennCare from covering gender‑affirming care," and asked what problem the bill was solving. Other members echoed that the current regulatory framework already bars the coverage the bill targets.
Representative Capley responded that the purpose of the legislation is to make the prohibition explicit in statute rather than rely on regulation, and she persisted in seeking passage on third reading.
The House voted on the bill; the clerk announced a tally of 73 yeas and 14 nays and the presiding officer declared the bill passed on third and final consideration.
The measure now proceeds according to the usual enrollment and transmittal steps for bills passed by the House.
