Senate Bill 2081, also known as House Bill 1956, amends various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated to modify regulations surrounding step therapy protocols for cancer treatment. The bill broadens the definition of cancer treatment by replacing the specific terms "stage 4 advanced metastatic cancer, metastatic blood cancer, or treatment of such cancers" with the more general "cancer or the treatment of cancer." Additionally, it removes subdivision (10) from Section 56-7-3501 and makes several amendments to Section 56-7-3502, which include eliminating references to "stage 4 advanced metastatic cancer" and "metastatic blood" in multiple subdivisions.

The bill stipulates that health benefit plans providing coverage for cancer and associated conditions cannot impose a step therapy protocol before covering an approved prescription drug for enrollees diagnosed with cancer, with certain exceptions. The legislation empowers the commissioners of commerce and insurance and health to create rules to implement these changes, which will take effect on January 1, 2027, and will apply to policies or agreements entered into, renewed, or amended on or after that date.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 56-7-3501(1), 56-7-3501, 56-7-3502(h)(1), 56-7-3502, 56-7-3502(h)(2), 56-7-3502(h)(5), 56-7-3502(h)(6)