That is half 5 in a collection highlighting all the brand new legal guidelines accepted by the Tennessee Common meeting in 2022. These new legal guidelines pertain to Well being, healthcare.

COVID-19 visitation legislation – A brand new legislation ensures that those that dwell in nursing properties and assisted residing services can be allowed to have guests in end-of-life conditions, even throughout a public well being emergency for COVID-19. It stipulates that guests should comply with observe security protocols and can’t exhibit signs of COVID-19 or different communicable illnesses, and can’t violate federal or state legislation regulating every facility. Through the top of the COVID-19 pandemic too many Tennesseans weren’t in a position to be with their family members of their final days. This legislation ensures that gained’t occur once more.

COVID-19 vaccine exemptions — A brand new legislation codifies medical and spiritual exemptions for COVID-19 vaccine mandates and supplies an enforcement mechanism for these looking for an exemption. It ensures employers grant non secular or medical exemptions to COVID-19 vaccine mandates, and imposes a $10,000 wonderful for employers who fail to adjust to this legislation.

In 2021, President Joe Biden issued an govt order requiring healthcare employees at services collaborating in Medicare and Medicaid to be absolutely vaccinated towards COVID-19. The order, which was initially enjoined by federal courts earlier than being upheld as unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Courtroom, included provisions that compel relevant employers to honor non secular and medical exemptions.

Telehealth — A brand new legislation ensures that telehealth companies will proceed to be reimbursed by insurance coverage firms past the COVID-19 pandemic. The measure deletes the sundown provision of the telehealth invoice enacted by the Common Meeting in 2020 to make sure sufferers might safely meet with their physician remotely through telehealth and be reimbursed by their insurance coverage firms per in-person visits. With out the brand new legislation this yr, the 2020 legislation would have expired in April.

New Tennessee Middle for Nursing Development – A brand new legislation goals to deal with nursing workforce wants by creating the Tennessee Middle for Nursing Development. The middle could be inside East Tennessee State College along with Ballad Well being. The brand new measure permits the middle to gather and combination knowledge on nursing turnover, causes for nursing turnover and profitable recruitment practices. The information could be revealed in studies whereas sustaining confidentiality and will result in future coverage issues. There’s at present no widespread database for nursing shortages. ETSU/Ballad have pledged $10 million for the startup of the middle, and $1 million a yr for administration of the middle is included within the 2022/2023 price range.

Working to extend wages for healthcare professionals – A healthcare process power can be created to evaluate the reimbursement of healthcare professionals employed by healthcare businesses within the state. Below a brand new legislation, this process power would come with learning honest market pay for direct assist professionals (DSP), psychological well being suppliers, and kids’s companies employees. It really works to deal with the employee shortages and staffing challenges many state suppliers face, largely resulting from compensation of those professionals. This process power goals to be part of a long-term answer to deal with staffing challenges by doing a deep dive into knowledge developments and compensation charges.

Bettering effectivity of the Certificates of Want course of – This yr the Common Meeting accepted a measure to supply funding to reform Tennessee’s Certificates of Want (CON) program and enhance the effectivity and effectiveness of how Tennessee’s healthcare system is managed. CON is a authorized doc required for a hospital or well being care facility to find or broaden its capability. From rising the variety of hospital beds out there or the forms of imaging that may be performed, below the CON course of a healthcare facility has to use to the state’s Well being Companies and Growth Company (HSDA) for permission.

Primarily based on suggestions from HSDA to enhance the CON course of, the Board for Licensing Healthcare Amenities will merge with HSDA to type the Well being Amenities Fee. The funds allotted this yr will full the primary part of the method to create the brand new Well being Amenities Fee and enhance CON necessities.

Growing entry to legislation enforcement officers at hospitals – A brand new legislation goals to assist improve public security at hospital services throughout the state by permitting them to make use of and fee law enforcement officials to supply safety. The brand new measure seeks to fulfill a rising want for legislation enforcement at hospitals all through the state, particularly in emergency departments which have had a rise in affected person quantity and emotionally charged affected person admissions because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Below the laws, law enforcement officials employed by hospital services would solely have legislation enforcement authority on the geographic location of the hospital.

Strengthening look after Alzheimer’s sufferers and caregivers — The Colonel Thomas G. Bowden Memorial Act was handed by the Common Meeting this yr to ascertain a three-year pilot program referred to as the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Respite Care Program. This system will present respite care companies for households caring for a liked one with Alzheimer’s illness or dementia, in addition to these residing with Alzheimer’s illness. A million {dollars} was included on this yr’s price range to fund the pilot program, which can be restricted to 225 enrollees every fiscal yr, and can lengthen from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2025. The invoice is called in memoriam of Retired Colonel Thomas G. Bowden, a Tullahoma native who devoted 26 years of service to the US Military and acquired the Distinguished Service Medal, amongst different awards. Colonel Bowden misplaced his life to Alzheimer’s at age 68.

Enhancing insurance coverage protection for mammograms — A brand new measure updates statute to raised replicate all the expertise utilized for breast imaging and most cancers screenings. The change in code will guarantee sufferers have entry to all low-dose mammography companies, together with 3D imaging, digital imaging and digital mammography and X-ray. Earlier legislation required well being insurers that present protection for surgical companies for mastectomy to additionally present protection for mammography. However this transformation will guarantee these sufferers have entry to new expertise as effectively. It additionally contains protection of supplemental and diagnostic screenings utilizing MRI and ultrasounds when needed. The invoice applies to the state well being plan, industrial plans and TennCare protection with sure exceptions.

Increasing entry to wheelchairs – A brand new legislation will broaden entry to necessary medical gear for Tennesseans who want help getting round exterior their properties. It ensures that those that require Advanced Rehabilitation Expertise (CRT), outlined as high-end, energy and handbook wheelchairs, are in a position to receive them via their medical health insurance. These chairs are costly and might vary from $25,000 to $45,000, requiring many individuals to depend on insurance coverage to afford them. Nevertheless, beforehand there have been insurance policies that deny a wheelchair to somebody in want as a result of it’s taken exterior of their residence to locations akin to church, the grocery retailer, or physician’s appointments. This invoice prohibits a well being insurer from contemplating the situation of the place CRT can be utilized when making the medical necessity willpower.

Serving to the visually impaired with prescription treatment – To make sure a visually impaired particular person could have entry to prescription labels and supplies which are acceptable to their wants, a brand new legislation permits these with disabilities to request their prescription info to be printed with both massive print or Braille, or given audibly. This can stop these with visible impairments from taking the fallacious treatment or dosage.

Eradicating obstacles for International Medical Graduates to coach in Tennessee – A brand new legislation permits the Board of Medical Examiners and Osteopathic Board to difficulty a 90-day restricted license to overseas employees and residents. It particulars {qualifications} wanted for approval of the restricted license and lists the coaching actions the visiting physicians are allowed to carry out below the management and supervision of a Tennessee licensed doctor. Below the legislation, visiting physicians could be prohibited from utilizing this license to acquire a medical residency in the US or remaining within the state to apply drugs past the expiration date of the license.

Making certain security in ear wax removing — A brand new legislation requires sure coursework as a way to administer ear-wax removing companies to make sure the method is finished safely.