Bill
Bill > HB1956
TN HB1956
TN HB1956AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71, relative to step therapy.
summary
Introduced
01/22/2026
01/22/2026
In Committee
03/30/2026
03/30/2026
Crossed Over
04/06/2026
04/06/2026
Passed
05/19/2026
05/19/2026
Dead
Signed/Enacted/Adopted
05/26/2026
05/26/2026
Introduced Session
114th General Assembly
Bill Summary
As enacted, expands the prohibition, from stage 4 advanced metastatic cancer or metastatic blood cancer to any cancer, against a health benefit plan that provides coverage for cancer requiring the use of a step therapy protocol before the health benefit plan provides coverage for an approved prescription drug to an enrollee who has received a diagnosis of cancer. - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.
AI Summary
This bill expands protections for individuals diagnosed with cancer by prohibiting health benefit plans from requiring a "step therapy protocol" before covering an approved prescription drug. Step therapy is a process where a health plan requires patients to try less expensive medications first, even if a more effective drug has been prescribed by their doctor. Previously, this prohibition only applied to specific advanced stages of cancer; now, it covers any cancer diagnosis, meaning patients with any form of cancer will not have to go through a step therapy process to get coverage for their prescribed cancer medications.
Committee Categories
Business and Industry, Government Affairs
Sponsors (59)
Becky Jo Alexander (R)*,
Clark Boyd (R),
Rush Bricken (R),
Karen Camper (D),
Kip Capley (R),
Michele Carringer (R),
Jesse Chism (D),
John Clemmons (D),
Mark Cochran (R),
John Crawford (R),
Tandy Darby (R),
Elaine Davis (R),
Vincent Dixie (D),
Clay Doggett (R),
Jeremy Faison (R),
Andrew Farmer (R),
Bob Freeman (D),
Ron Gant (R),
John Gillespie (R),
Ronnie Glynn (D),
Rusty Grills (R),
Yusuf Hakeem (D),
Michael Hale (R),
Torrey Harris (D),
David Hawk (R),
Esther Helton (R),
Caleb Hemmer (D),
Gary Hicks (R),
Tim Hicks (R),
Dan Howell (R),
Renea Jones (R),
William Lamberth (R),
Mary Littleton (R),
Harold Love (D),
Susan Lynn (R),
Aron Maberry (R),
Pat Marsh (R),
Brock Martin (R),
Jake McCalmon (R),
Bo Mitchell (D),
Debra Moody (R),
Jerome Moon (R),
Antonio Parkinson (D),
Justin Pearson (D),
Jason Powell (D),
Dennis Powers (R),
Kevin Raper (R),
Iris Rudder (R),
Lowell Russell (R),
Richard Scarbrough (R),
Paul Sherrell (R),
William Slater (R),
Bryan Terry (R),
Ron Travis (R),
Greg Vital (R),
Mark White (R),
Ryan Williams (R),
Dave Wright (R),
Jason Zachary (R),
Last Action
Effective date(s) 01/01/2027 (on 05/26/2026)
Bill Topics
Health
- ‐ Health Insurance Reform
- ‐ Treatment of Specific Diseases
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location | Created |
|---|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB1956&ga=114 | 01/22/2026 |
| BillText | https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/pub/pc0995.pdf | 05/26/2026 |
| Fiscal Note - SB2081 | https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Fiscal/SB2081.pdf | 01/28/2026 |
| BillText | https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/HB1956.pdf | 01/22/2026 |
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