State law shapes your daily practice—how you structure your business, who you can hire, what procedures require supervision, and how you navigate insurance requirements. These decisions affect whether you can practice medicine as you were trained, keep your practice financially viable, and focus on patient care instead of paperwork.
Memphis Medical Society has represented Shelby County physicians since 1846. We track legislation affecting your practice, advocate for your professional interests, and provide timely regulatory updates. We connect over 2,600 local physicians with the resources and collective voice needed to navigate Tennessee’s healthcare landscape.
What Is Medical Advocacy in Tennessee?
Medical advocacy means physicians participating in the legislative and regulatory processes that govern how we practice. In Tennessee, the General Assembly passes laws affecting scope of practice and insurance reimbursement, while the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners establishes regulations governing licensure and professional conduct.
Advocacy isn’t about politics. It’s about ensuring lawmakers understand how their decisions affect patient care. When legislators consider expanding independent practice authority for non-physician practitioners, they need to hear from physicians who understand training differences and patient safety implications. When insurance companies lobby for policies that increase administrative burden, physicians must explain how prior authorization delays affect patients waiting for treatment.
Tennessee’s legislative process moves quickly. The General Assembly convenes each January, and within four months, dozens of bills affecting medical practice become law. Without organized physician advocacy, these decisions happen without medical input. With advocacy, physicians shape policies that protect our profession and our patients.
State-level advocacy matters because healthcare regulation happens primarily at the state level. While federal law establishes programs like Medicare, Tennessee law determines who can practice medicine, what practice structures are legal, how physicians supervise other healthcare professionals, and what insurers must do before denying coverage. These state decisions directly affect your daily practice.
How Tennessee Health Law Affects Physicians
Tennessee law creates the framework for every physician’s practice. Understanding these requirements is essential for avoiding violations that can result in disciplinary action, criminal charges, or practice disruption.
Corporate Practice of Medicine
Tennessee prohibits the corporate practice of medicine under T.C.A. § 63-6-204(b). Non-physicians cannot own medical practices or employ physicians to provide medical services. This preserves physician independence in clinical decision-making and prevents business interests from overriding medical judgment.
The law includes specific exceptions:
● Hospitals and health systems: Can employ physicians under T.C.A. § 63-6-204(b)(1), but contracts must preserve physician autonomy in clinical decisions
● Federally Qualified Health Centers: Community health centers receiving federal Section 330 funding may employ physicians
● Rural health clinics: Facilities meeting federal requirements under 42 C.F.R. § 491 have specific employment authority
● Physician-owned entities: Professional corporations (PCs) or professional limited liability companies (PLLCs) must be owned exclusively by licensed physicians
● Academic institutions: Universities may employ physician faculty
Violations constitute a Class B misdemeanor. Fee-splitting between physicians and non-physicians remains prohibited. Before signing any employment agreement, review the contract with a healthcare attorney familiar with Tennessee’s corporate practice restrictions.
Scope of Practice Requirements
Tennessee law defines what procedures physicians can perform and establishes supervision requirements when delegating tasks to other healthcare professionals. These requirements appear in statute (T.C.A. Title 63, Chapter 6) and administrative rules (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0880-02).
Physicians supervising physician assistants and nurse practitioners must comply with regulation 0880-02-.14, which requires written collaborative practice agreements specifying delegated tasks, consultation requirements, and quality assurance procedures. For physician assistants, supervising physicians must review charts for at least ten percent of patients within seven days.
Physicians treating substance use disorders need either American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM) certification or documentation of three years of full-time clinical experience in a licensed treatment facility.
The Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners enforces these requirements. Access complete regulations at publications.tnsosfiles.com, and view public disciplinary records at apps.health.tn.gov/Licensure.
Hospital Employment and Practice Structure
Recent legislation expanded hospital employment authority in rural areas. Public Chapter 929, effective July 1, 2025, allows hospitals in counties with populations below 150,000 and fewer than three hospitals to employ radiologists, emergency physicians, anesthesiologists, and pathologists. This creates new practice opportunities in underserved areas while maintaining the corporate practice prohibition elsewhere.
The Tennessee Medical Association’s Law Guide (updated annually) provides county-by-county eligibility determinations for physicians considering these arrangements.
Practice structure decisions affect liability exposure, tax treatment, and operational flexibility. Consult healthcare attorneys and accountants familiar with Tennessee law before selecting entity types or signing partnership agreements.
Why Advocacy Matters Right Now: 2026 Legislative Priorities
The 114th Tennessee General Assembly convenes in January 2026. Memphis Medical Society and the Tennessee Medical Association have identified critical priorities requiring physician advocacy.
Insurance Payment Reform
Insurance administrative burden continues to increase. Physicians spend hours each week fighting claim denials, navigating prior authorization, and documenting medical necessity for routine treatments. This time comes directly from patient care.
The 2026 legislative priorities include:
● Prompt payment enforcement: Strengthening requirements that insurers pay clean claims within specified timeframes, with meaningful penalties for violations
● Claim denial transparency: Requiring insurers to provide specific clinical rationale for denials and establishing appeal processes with physician peer review
● Prior authorization reform: Establishing “gold card” programs that exempt physicians with high approval rates from prior authorization for specific procedures
● Reimbursement transparency: Requiring insurers to disclose how they calculate allowed amounts, particularly for out-of-network services
These reforms directly affect practice revenue and efficiency. Memphis Medical Society employs registered lobbyists who analyze proposed insurance legislation and coordinate physician testimony before legislative committees.
TennCare Updates
TennCare, Tennessee’s Medicaid managed care program, serves 1.7 million beneficiaries through BlueCare, Amerigroup, and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan. Reimbursement rates for many services remain below the cost of care, creating access problems as physicians limit TennCare patient volumes.
The 2024-2025 budget increased reimbursement for primary care, but specialty care, procedures, and hospital-based services need additional increases. The 2026 legislative session will determine whether these rate increases continue and expand.
Physicians treating TennCare patients should document the financial impact of below-cost reimbursement and share this with legislators. Personal stories about patients struggling to find specialists who accept TennCare carry significant weight in budget negotiations.
Hospital Employment
The 2025 expansion of hospital employment authority in rural counties creates opportunities but raises questions about physician autonomy and employment terms. Advocacy priorities include:
● Contract protections: Ensuring employment agreements preserve physician independence in clinical decision-making
● Non-compete limitations: Restricting overly broad restrictions that prevent physicians from practicing in their communities after employment ends
● Due process protections: Establishing fair procedures before hospitals terminate physician employment or restrict clinical privileges
Memphis Medical Society provides members with employment contract review resources and connects physicians with healthcare attorneys experienced in Tennessee physician employment law.
How to Advocate for Tennessee Medical Legislation
Physician advocacy works because legislators recognize that practicing physicians understand how policies affect patient care. You don’t need political experience—you need to share how proposed legislation would affect your patients and practice.
Contacting Local Legislators
Tennessee legislators represent specific districts and respond to constituent concerns. Identify your representatives on their website.
Effective legislative contact includes:
● Timing: Contact legislators during session (January through April) when they’re considering bills, or during interim periods when they’re developing legislation
● Specificity: Reference specific bill numbers (HB #### or SB ####) and explain how the legislation would affect patient care
● Personal stories: Share examples from your practice—legislators remember patient stories more than statistics
● Format: Schedule in-person meetings during session, submit written testimony to committee chairs 48 hours before hearings, or send concise emails explaining your position.
Memphis Medical Society provides members with weekly legislative updates during session, identifying bills requiring physician input and providing talking points.
Submitting Proposed Legislation or Issues
Physicians can propose legislation through professional medical associations, which have the infrastructure to draft bills, find sponsors, and coordinate advocacy campaigns.
The Tennessee Medical Association reviews approximately 2,000 bills annually, identifying 200-300 with healthcare implications. The association’s legislative committee determines advocacy priorities based on member input.
To submit issues:
● Document the problem: Explain the current law, why it creates problems, and what change would address the issue
● Provide examples: Share specific cases illustrating how the policy affects patients or physicians
● Suggest solutions: Propose specific changes or describe the outcome you’re seeking
● Identify support: Note whether other physicians, specialty societies, or healthcare organizations share your concerns
Memphis Medical Society collects member concerns and forwards priority issues to the Tennessee Medical Association’s legislative committee. Submit issues through the Society’s advocacy page.
Collaborating With Professional Associations
Individual physicians have limited legislative influence. Organized medicine provides collective advocacy that amplifies physician voices and coordinates sustained campaigns.
Memphis Medical Society coordinates political advocacy opportunities, including the TMA Political Pulse program, which connects physicians with legislators during session. Our registered lobbyists provide bill analysis, organize member testimony, and maintain relationships with key legislators.
Recent advocacy successes demonstrate the impact of organized physician voice. In 2024, Memphis Medical Society led efforts to pass the Benjamin Mauck Act (Public Chapter 928), which increased penalties for assault and battery in healthcare facilities from Class A misdemeanor to Class E felony. Governor Bill Lee signed this legislation on May 6, 2024, honoring Dr. Benjamin Mauck and strengthening protections for healthcare workers throughout Tennessee.
The bill passed because physicians testified about workplace violence, shared personal experiences, and maintained consistent advocacy throughout the session. That’s the power of organized medicine—sustained, coordinated advocacy that produces tangible results.
Why Advocate With Memphis Medical Society
Memphis Medical Society has represented Shelby County physicians for 178 years. We’re not a distant organization issuing policy statements—we’re your colleagues, practicing medicine in the same community, facing the same regulatory challenges, and advocating for the same professional interests.
We offer:
● Direct advocacy support: Our registered lobbyists monitor every bill affecting medical practice, analyze how legislation would affect your practice, and coordinate physician testimony before legislative committees
● Regulatory guidance: We maintain direct communication with the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners and provide updates on regulatory changes, licensure requirements, and compliance issues
● Professional development: Monthly CME programs, networking events, and practice management resources that strengthen your clinical skills and business operations
● Community connection: Opportunities to collaborate with colleagues, mentor medical students and residents, and participate in community health initiatives
● Statewide and national advocacy: Through our affiliation with the Tennessee Medical Association and American Medical Association, members access advocacy networks extending beyond local issues to state and federal policy
The Tennessee Medical Association publishes an annual Law Guide analyzing statutes affecting medical practice, provides legal consultation services, and coordinates statewide advocacy campaigns. The American Medical Association tracks federal legislation, provides practice management resources, and advocates for physician interests in national policy debates.
When you join Memphis Medical Society, you’re adding your voice to collective advocacy that shapes healthcare policy. The Benjamin Mauck Act passed because physicians stood together and demanded legislative action. Insurance reform advances because physicians document administrative burden and explain how it affects patient care. TennCare reimbursement increases happen because physicians demonstrate that below-cost payments threaten patient access.
Medical legislation affects your daily practice, your reimbursement, and your ability to deliver patient care. Organized medicine provides the collective advocacy that individual physicians cannot achieve alone.
Join the Memphis Medical Society to access legislative updates, advocacy support, and professional networking that strengthen your practice and our collective voice in healthcare policy. Together, we shape legislation that improves practice conditions and patient care throughout Tennessee.
Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Physicians with specific questions about employment agreements, licensure requirements, or regulatory compliance should consult with healthcare attorneys licensed in Tennessee.
