This bill prohibits a managed care organization ("MCO") that contracts with the bureau of TennCare ("bureau") to provide medical assistance from providing reimbursement or coverage for a medical procedure if the performance or administration of the procedure is for the purpose of either enabling a person to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the person's sex or treating purported discomfort or distress from a discordance between a person's sex and asserted identity. This prohibition applies to an MCO's coverage or reimbursement for medical expenses through the following entities and programs: (1) The bureau; (2) A private health insurance program regulated by this state; (3) A state or local insurance program; and (4) Any other program for insurance or medical assistance regulated or administered by another state. Within 30 days of the effective date of this bill, the bureau must appropriately revise or amend the contract between an MCO and the bureau to be in accordance with this bill. An MCO in violation of this bill and contracting with the bureau on the effective date of this bill has 90 days to come into compliance. If the MCO does not come into compliance, then this bill prohibits such MCO from being eligible to provide such medical assistance. Additionally, if an MCO fails to remedy any violation of this bill within 90 days, then such MCO is also prohibited from providing such medical assistance.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 47-18-3304(b)(2), 47-18-3304