Bill > HB0970

This bill modifies Tennessee's healthcare regulations, specifically the Certificate of Need (CON) program, introducing several key changes. The bill renames the existing law to the "Tennessee Healthcare Quality and Access Act of 2025" and significantly narrows the definition of "healthcare institution" to only include nursing homes. It establishes new rules for obtaining and maintaining certificates of need, including more stringent application processes, communication restrictions during review, and time limits for project completion. The bill allows nursing homes to increase their bed count by up to 10 beds or 10% of their capacity every three years without a full CON review. Notably, the legislation sets June 30, 2025, as a critical date after which the CON requirements will be substantially reduced, effectively phasing out most CON regulations for healthcare facilities except nursing homes. The bill also creates provisions for renewing hospital licenses in certain rural or economically distressed counties, making it easier to reestablish healthcare facilities in areas that have lost medical services. These changes aim to provide more flexibility for healthcare providers while maintaining some regulatory oversight, particularly for nursing home development.

Health and Social Services

https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB0970&ga=114