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The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
Two bills, one governing what TennCare is allowed to cover regarding trans procedures, and the other mandating that insurance companies selling policies for medical transition must also include coverage for detransitioning, are advancing in both the Tennessee House and Senate.
In the Senate, a bill that prohibits TennCare from providing reimbursement for Trans “gender affirming” procedures, not just for minors but for all Tennesseans covered under the state’s Medicaid program, passed in an 8 to 1 vote along party lines in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee on Tuesday and now heads to the Senate floor for a final vote.
Sponsored by Senator Adam Lowe, Senate Bill 2118 (SB2118) closes a “loop hole” in current law which already outlaws such procedures for minors.
While prohibiting TennCare from providing coverage for certain procedures, including puberty blockers, if the purpose is solely to enable an individual “to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the individual’s sex” or if the procedure treats “purported discomfort or distress from a discordance between the individual’s sex and asserted identity,” treatment for congenital defects, precocious puberty, disease, or physical injury would remain exempt.
Companion House Bill 2498 has already passed on the House floor in a 73 to 14 vote along party lines.
Find the contact information for your State Senator HERE.
The second bill, a carryover from last year, sponsored by Representative Jeremy Faison (R-Cosby-District 11), passed out of the House Finance, Ways, and Means Committee also on Tuesday in a 20 to 7 vote along party lines.
House Bill 0754 as amended mandates that insurance companies selling insurance policies to individuals that cover transitioning procedures must bundle the policy with one that also covers detransitioning procedures.
The companion Senate Bill, SB0676, sponsored by Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis-District 31) passed in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee last year and is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee on March 24th, 2026.
Contact information for the Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee may be found below.
Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee – SB0676 scheduled to be heard March 24
SB0676 mandates that insurance companies selling insurance policies to individuals that cover transitioning procedures must bundle the policy with one that also covers detransitioning procedures.
Sen.bo.watson@capitol.tn.gov; sen.john.stevens@capitol.tn.gov; sen.joey.hensley@capitol.tn.gov; sen.ferrell.haile@capitol.tn.gov; sen.jack.johnson@capitol.tn.gov; sen.london.lamar@capitol.tn.gov; sen.bill.powers@capitol.tn.gov; sen.paul.rose@capitol.tn.gov; sen.page.walley@capitol.tn.gov; sen.ken.yager@capitol.tn.gov; sen.jeff.yarbro@capitol.tn.gov
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
