Tag: Tennessee
NCPA celebrates PBM bill passing in Tennessee
May 26, 2026HME News Staff
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) applauds Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee for signing the Freedom, Access and Integrity in Registered Pharmacy (FAIR Rx) Act (Senate Bill 2040/House Bill 1959) into law, making the state the second to pass legislation prohibiting pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from owning or operating pharmacies. The NCPA supported the Tennessee Pharmacists Association’s leadership on the FAIR Rx Act as it moved through the legislative process....
BCBS of Tennessee contract change rattles HME providers
February 6, 2026Liz Beaulieu, Editor
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Home medical equipment (HME) providers that have served BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS) of Tennessee members for decades say they are shocked and concerned for patients following the insurer’s move to use CareCentrix to manage its commercial, Medicaid and Medicare Advantage plans.
'No one knows what is going to happen’
Provider Charles Satterfield said he received a letter from BCBS of Tennessee in December stating the...
Lifeway Mobility expands into Tennessee
December 2, 2025HME News Staff
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Lifeway Mobility has opened its first location in Tennessee, expanding its coverage in the Southeast. The location in Nashville will offer stair lifts, wheelchair ramps and lifts and transfer aids. It will add home elevators at a later date. “We’re excited to open in the state of Tennessee and provide an outstanding customer experience to Middle Tennessee residents,” said Nathan Colburn, DVP at Lifeway Mobility. “This expansion reflects...
AAH state update: Tennessee, Ohio, Illinois, Rhode Island
April 4, 2022HME News Staff
The Tennessee Senate has passed SB 2134, legislation to strengthen access to complex rehab technology. It would prohibit insurers from considering the location where CRT products will be used when making a medical necessity determination; require insurers to offer a prior authorization process for coverage determinations; and require insurers to pay 100% of benefits approved in a prior authorization issued by a plan. The legislation now heads to the Tennessee House for consideration. A companion...
CMS approves block grant waiver in Tennessee
January 14, 2021HME News Staff
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – CMS has approved Tennessee’s request for a block grant waiver for its state Medicaid program, TennCare, AAHomecare reports. The new program will allow TennCare to administer Medicaid with less oversight from the federal government, increasing its flexibility. The new block grant waiver – known as TennCare III – came after the General Assembly passed a law in 2019 directing Gov. Bill Lee’s administration to negotiate...
Tenn. CRT bill heads to governor's desk
March 19, 2019HME News Staff
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee State Legislature has enacted legislation to create a “separate benefit” category for complex rehab technology.HB 647, which is headed to Gov. Bill Lee to sign, will ensure that CRT products receive separate consideration when state Medicaid authorities propose adjustments to reimbursement rates or other regulatory changes.“CRT products are designed to meet the unique needs of individuals with disabilities and profound healthcare challenges, supporting...
Legislature in Tennessee recognizes complex rehab
March 12, 2019HME News Staff
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee General Assembly has passed a bill that recognizes complex rehab as a separate benefit category. The state's House of Representatives passed H.B. 0647 94-0 on March 7, then the Senate substituted that bill with S.B. 0632 and passed it 30-0 on March 11. The bill requires the commissioner, under the Long-Term Care Community Choices Act, to recognize complex rehabilitation technology as a separate benefit category for the purposes of any proposed budget or other public...
CMS decision on Tennessee sets precedent
June 21, 2013Elizabeth Deprey
WASHINGTON - It was a big win in the HME industry's fight against competitive bidding when CMS disqualified one-third of the contract suppliers for Tennessee, but that's not the only state with licensure issues, stakeholders point out.
“It establishes a precedent that CMS is going to have to deal with,” said Andrea Stark, a reimbursement consultant with MiraVista. “I see it as a domino falling, the beginning of a chain reaction.”
CMS last week sent letters to...