2023 Tennessee Legislative Session Summary

2023 Tennessee Legislative Session Summary

Victory in the fight against cancer requires bold new public policies that promote cancer prevention, early detection of cancer, and expand access to quality, affordable health care. Lawmakers make many decisions that impact the lives of Tennesseans impacted by cancer and their leadership is vital to defeating this disease.

In 2023 the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) worked with the Tennessee Legislature in support of the following priorities:

Ensuring Access to Quality Care

• Medicaid Postpartum Extension: State legislators and the Governor were able to pass and sign into law legislation that permanently extends postpartum Medicaid benefits and expand eligibility. Tennessee mothers on Medicaid will now have coverage for 12 months instead of the two months the state previously afforded them.
• Medicaid Expansion: ACS CAN continues to advocate for low-income individuals and families to have access to health insurance coverage through state Medicaid programs. We support policies that preserve funding and access to Medicaid for low-income parents and adults and will advocate for Medicaid expansion that will increase eligibility up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level.  Multiple bills were introduced this legislative session, but no action was taken.

Cancer Prevention and Early Detection

• Breast and Cervical Cancer: Funding was maintained for the Tennessee Breast and Cervical Cancer Program, the state breast and cervical cancer screening and treatment program for low-income uninsured and underinsured women administered by the Tennessee Department of Health.

Reducing the Toll of Tobacco

• Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Funding:  ACS CAN worked to maintain funding for fact-based, statewide tobacco prevention and cessation programs at $2 million.   

For more information, contact: Maddie Bushnell, Tennessee Government Relations Director ACS CAN 

[email protected]   319.621.1795   

ACS CAN is making cancer a top priority for public officials and candidates at the federal, state, and local levels. ACS CAN empowers advocates across the country to make their voices heard and influence evidence-based public policy change as well as legislative and regulatory solutions that will reduce the cancer burden. As the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN is critical to the fight for a world without cancer. For more information, please visit www.fightcancer.org.