House Bill 651 aims to amend Tennessee's healthcare laws by addressing the reimbursement rates for healthcare providers under the TennCare program. The bill highlights that since 2012, TennCare payments have been significantly lower than Medicare rates, and it mandates the Bureau of TennCare to develop a plan within the next year to improve access to quality healthcare in rural and underserved areas. This plan should include strategies such as increasing payment rates to align with average commercial rates, enhancing provider outreach, reducing credentialing barriers, and expanding telehealth services.

Additionally, the bill introduces new regulations prohibiting health insurance entities and managed care organizations (MCOs) from including "all-products clauses" in their network provider agreements, which would require providers to participate in multiple networks or plans as a condition of their participation. Violations of this provision would result in civil penalties. The Bureau of TennCare is also tasked with establishing appointment wait time standards and ensuring the accuracy of healthcare provider directories through regular secret shopper surveys. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.