HB 2389 / SB 2255

This bill requires Tennessee’s Bureau of TennCare, in coordination with the Departments of Health and Children’s Services, to publish two detailed statewide reports—by January 1, 2027, and every six months thereafter—on the use and cost of psychotropic medications in the TennCare program. The first report breaks down the number of TennCare members (by age group and county) receiving one or more psychotropic prescriptions over a year, the number of distinct medications per person, and total program costs (state and federal shares). The second report focuses on children in state custody and foster-care–eligible young adults, detailing similar metrics for those on psychotropics for at least 90 days. Both reports must include the prior two years’ data, be publicly posted on the TennCare website, transmitted to relevant legislative committees, and comply with HIPAA de-identification standards.

By shining a light on how many TennCare enrollees—especially vulnerable youth—receive mind-altering medications and at what expense, the legislation advances transparency and legislative oversight. Lawmakers, providers, and families gain access to robust, aggregated data that can inform responsible policy, guard against over-prescribing, and ensure both the safety of patients and the prudent use of taxpayer funds. Because the reporting is handled within existing resources and emphasizes data privacy protections, the measure is fiscally modest yet substantively powerful.