The first session of the 113th Tennessee General Assembly adjourned in April 2023. While TMA endured one of its most challenging sessions to date, the House of Medicine fared relatively well and achieved most of its top priorities.
TMA, along with its coalition partners, fixed the unintended consequences of the abortion “trigger” law that went into effect following the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade. TMA also made significant gains in easing the burden of insurance hassles like prior authorization in addition to providing relief to doctors terminated from networks because of health plans taking advantage of the No Surprises Act.
Finally, TMA once again preserved the physician-led, team-based care model in Tennessee by holding the line on APRN and PA independent practice. Although the physician wellness priority was not successful this year, TMA remains hopeful that negotiations with various stakeholders over the coming year will yield acceptable statutory language that can protect physicians and other healthcare professionals from probing questions about past treatment for mental health or substance abuse.
Click here for the full legislative summary created by Tennessee Medical Association.
