Bill > SB0185

This bill modifies Tennessee's hospital reimbursement rules for rural hospitals under the TennCare (Tennessee's Medicaid) program by establishing new guidelines for payment rates. Specifically, the bill defines a "rural hospital" as a facility with no more than 49 licensed beds located in a non-urbanized area, and sets minimum and maximum reimbursement rates for routine, nonspecialized inpatient services at 100% to 120% of the hospital's current federal fiscal year (FFY) Medicare reimbursement rate. The bill also requires the state's health bureau to publish and annually update a list of Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-DRGs) on its website and provide this updated list directly to participating rural hospitals. The director of TennCare is authorized to seek federal waivers to implement these new reimbursement guidelines without expanding Medicaid. The bill will take effect immediately upon becoming law, with the stated purpose of promoting public welfare by supporting rural healthcare facilities.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry, Health and Social Services

https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB0185&ga=114