Title 71, Welfare

(1) As used in this part:(1) “Annual coverage assessment” means the annual assessment imposed on covered hospitals as set forth in this part;(2) “Annual coverage assessment base” means the total net patient revenue minus the medicare net revenue, for all hospitals as shown in the…

(a) There is imposed on covered hospitals an annual coverage assessment for fiscal year (FY) 2026-2027 as set forth in this part, such that the total assessment on all covered hospitals in the aggregate will be equal to six percent (6%) of the federally recognized annual coverage…

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), each covered hospital’s annual assessment is a weighted portion of the annual coverage assessment base as determined under § 71-5-2002. The weight for each covered hospital must be determined in accordance with the hospital’s classificati…

(a) The funds generated as a result of this part must be deposited in the maintenance of coverage trust fund created by § 71-5-160, the existence of which is continued as provided in subsection (b). The fund must not be used to replace monies otherwise appropriated to the divisio…

(1) This part expires on July 1, 2027. However, the following rights and obligations survive the expiration:(1) The authority of the division to impose late payment penalties and to collect unpaid annual coverage assessments and required refunds;(2) The rights of a covered hospit…

The comptroller of the treasury may audit the expenditure of funds pursuant to this part from the maintenance of coverage trust fund. At the discretion of the comptroller of the treasury, the audit may be prepared by a certified public accountant, a public accountant, or the depa…

Any community or neighborhood health organization or clinic providing medical services to patients through the utilization of medical students presently enrolled in a medical school accredited by the Association of American Medical Colleges, licensed registered nurses, qualified …

Medical services that are presently provided in specialized public health facilities as in tuberculosis hospitals, mental institutions, and institutions providing highly specialized inpatient care shall not be undertaken by the organizations and clinics covered by this part, and …

There may be provided, at the expense of every county, an asylum for the poor of the county, consisting of a parcel of land of such size, and of buildings on the land of such dimensions and construction, as the county legislative body may consider necessary and proper, a majority…

The site of the asylum shall be selected, and the buildings planned and constructed, solely with a view to promote the health and comfort of the inmates.

The county legislative body shall appoint three (3) commissioners to select the site, and to contract for and superintend the necessary buildings, upon such plan and under such rules and regulations as the legislative body may prescribe.

The county legislative body may apply any county moneys in the treasury that it may deem proper to the use of the asylum.

(1) In the management of the asylum, the commissioners have the power to:(1) Prescribe rules and regulations for the management of the farm and for the treatment of the inmates of the asylum, and modify and change them at pleasure;(2) Prescribe the manner in which the inmates sha…

The superintendent shall overlook and manage the asylum and its inmates under such rules and regulations as the commissioners shall prescribe.

The commissioners may remove the superintendent whenever they think the good of the establishment requires it, and may fill the vacancy.

No person shall be admitted into the asylum who has not been an actual resident of the county for one (1) whole year preceding the person's application.

The commissioners shall examine all applicants for admission into the asylum, and admit or reject any applicant as they may think right. Any applicant who is rejected may appeal to the county mayor, in which case the applicant shall be examined and admitted or excluded in the dis…

(1) The superintendent shall, once every year, in the month of December, submit to the commissioners a statement of the condition of the establishment, showing:(1) The number of its inmates, their names, ages, sex, diseases and maladies;(2) The expenses of the establishment;(3) T…

(a) County legislative bodies may unite in the establishment of joint homes, hospitals, almshouses or poor farms for the care of the indigent or the chronic sick of the respective counties. (b) The legislative body of a county, by majority vote at any regular session, may sell or…

Any institution established jointly by counties, as provided in § 71-5-2111, shall in all respects serve as a county institution of each of the counties participating, subject to the rules and regulations agreed upon by the legislative bodies of the participating counties. Such c…

For the purpose of enabling counties to contribute and participate in such joint enterprises, they are given full power to levy taxes and appropriate county funds.

(a) The commissioners of the poor shall be a permanent body, by the name of the “Commissioners of the Poor for County.” (b) In the selection, the county legislative body shall, at its October session, choose at the beginning one (1) commissioner to hold for the term of one (1) ye…

Each commissioner, before entering upon the discharge of such commissioner's duties, shall take an oath before the county clerk, in term or vacation, to well and truly discharge such commissioner's duties as prescribed by law.

The commissioners shall appoint one (1) of their number chair, and they shall keep minutes of their proceedings in a well-bound book.

The county legislative body shall in all cases pay a reasonable compensation to the superintendent and the commissioners.

The county legislative body may remove the commissioners, or any one (1) of them, at pleasure, and proceed to fill the vacancy at any time; and should any one (1) or more of them die, resign, remove from the county, or fail or refuse to act, the county mayor may fill the vacancy,…

When money is to be drawn from the county treasury for the purchase of the site of the asylum, the erection of the buildings, for improvements, repairs, or for the ordinary expenses of the maintenance of the poor, it shall be done upon an order of the commission, entered upon its…

The commissioners shall keep a book of accounts, in which they shall charge themselves with all moneys drawn by them from the treasury of the county, specifying the number and date of the warrant on which each sum was drawn, and credit themselves with their disbursements, giving …

(a) The book of accounts shall be balanced every year, and, on or before December 31, shall be submitted to the county mayor for settlement, together with the vouchers. (b) If the county mayor finds the account correct, the county mayor shall write beneath the same the words, “ex…

The commissioners shall be jointly and severally liable for the application of any money drawn on their order from the county treasury for the use of the asylum.

The commissioners shall report to the county legislative body, at its January session every year, the condition of the asylum, making the superintendent's report a part of their own.

The county legislative body may, in its discretion, allow and pay to poor persons who may become chargeable as paupers, and who will probably be benefited thereby, such sums or such annual allowance, to be paid according to the direction of the legislative body, as will not excee…

The county legislative body may exempt from working on public roads any person unable, by manual labor or physical exertion, to make a support, whenever it appears to be just and right.

The county legislative body may also let out the support of the poor, with the use and occupancy of the poorhouse and farm, for a period not exceeding three (3) years.

The county legislative body may also contract with any person for the support of any or all the poor of the county, upon such terms as may be deemed reasonable, for a period not exceeding one (1) year.

Such contractors under §§ 71-5-2303 and 71-5-2304 may employ a poor person in any work for which such person's age, health, and strength are competent, but subject to the supervision of the commissioners of the poor, and, in the last resort, of the county legislative body.

(1) The commissioners of the poor are required, if the poor of the county, or any of them, are bound or farmed out, as provided in §§ 71-5-2303 — 71-5-2305, to:(1) Examine and report upon the manner in which such poor are kept and treated;(2) Prescribe the manner in which they sh…

The county legislative body has the power, upon good cause shown, to set aside any contract letting out the support of the poor as above, making proper allowances for the time it has been in operation.

For the purpose of caring for indigent sick or injured persons, the county legislative bodies are empowered to enter into contract with any reputable hospital for the care and treatment of indigent sick or injured persons, and may make annual contracts with such hospitals for a r…

Whenever any county legislative body has so contracted, and it has been made satisfactorily to appear to the county mayor of any county that a sick or injured person is unable on account of poverty to procure proper care and medical attention, the county mayor shall issue an orde…

In the event any county legislative body fails to make such an annual contract, or in case all the beds contracted for shall at any time be filled, and is made satisfactorily to appear to the county mayor that a sick or injured person is unable on account of poverty to procure ne…

(a) Whenever any hospital has entered into either or both of such contracts with any county, the hospital shall render monthly statements to the county mayor of the county showing the name and address of each patient so received and treated at the expense of the county, and the l…

Whenever any county patient, coming from the county wherein such hospital is located, is without the services of a regular physician, it shall become the duty of the county physician of the county wherein the hospital is situated to attend the patient and to administer medical tr…

Whenever under any program for aid to the indigent, the aged, the blind or any other group, which program is supported in whole or in part by funds of the state or of any metropolitan, municipal or county government in this state and which includes services within the lawful scop…

This section is intended to ensure the prompt and accurate payment of all claims incurred by providers delivering services to enrollees of the TennCare partners program, and to formalize the resolution of all claims disputes arising under the partners program. Accordingly, the st…

(a) There is established in the department of finance and administration a state TennCare pharmacy advisory committee. The committee shall make recommendations regarding a preferred drug list (PDL) to govern all state expenditures for prescription drugs for the TennCare program. …