Senator Blackburn Receives “Champion of Health Care Innovation” Award by the Healthcare Leadership Council
Senator Blackburn Attends Grand Opening of New Health Care Facility in Jamestown, Tenn.
Senator Blackburn Speaks at TN HIMSS Health Policy Roundtable With Industry Leaders
Senator Blackburn Meets With Perry and Decatur County Officials to Discuss Her Rural Health Agenda
Tennessee stands as a leader in health care innovation, fueled by a robust and expanding health care industry. This leadership is driven by major health systems, renowned research institutions, and a thriving health technology sector. Tennesseans need market-based reforms that put patients — not federal bureaucrats — in the driver’s seat to expand access to affordable care, lower prices on pharmaceuticals, and increase transparency for patients. Senator Blackburn believes the issues facing our health care sector will not be solved in Washington, D.C., but in Tennessee.
78 of Tennessee’s 95 counties are considered rural, and addressing health care delivery challenges in rural America could mean the difference between life and death for some patients. Senator Blackburn, co-chair of the Senate Rural Health Caucus, is committed to finding bipartisan solutions to improve access to rural health care. Senator Blackburn’s bipartisan and bicameral Rural Health Agenda includes three bills to target key areas of reform.
Additionally, Senator Blackburn co-sponsored the Improving Access to Care for Rural Veterans Act to make it easier for veterans in rural areas to access the care they have earned. Her Protecting Air Ambulance Services for Americans Act would improve access to emergency air medical services that are critical for saving lives, particularly in rural communities.
Fighting For Tennesseans' Health Care
Senator Blackburn has been a champion of expanding telehealth and helped lead the way for telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of Senator Blackburn’s advocacy, access to telehealth services has been transformative for rural and medically complex patients, breaking down barriers and providing critical access to care in some of the most remote areas. Senator Blackburn partnered with a bipartisan group of senators to introduce the Telehealth Modernization Act to ensure these telehealth flexibilities are a permanent fixture in our health care system.
Senator Blackburn introduced a package of three bills to support and expand Tennessee’s Medicaid innovation. The package includes the Access to New Community Health Opportunities and Recovery (ANCHOR) Act, the Delivering Support for Hospitals (DSH) in Tennessee Act, and the Medicaid Primary Care Improvement Act. These bills would strengthen support for hospitals, give states the flexibility to use more effective primary care models, and allow states to provide Medicaid coverage to those battling serious mental illness or substance use disorder.
While AI presents certain dangers, it can also be an important tool for innovation, including in the health care industry. Our health care innovators are making great achievements by developing predictive diagnosis, disease analysis, and new applications to address patient needs. Senator Blackburn sent a letter urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to develop a formalized payment pathway for algorithm-based health care services, which are FDA-cleared medical devices that rely on artificial intelligence and machine learning to produce clinical information to aid in patient diagnosis or treatment. She is also a co-sponsor of the Health Tech Investment Act, bipartisan legislation that would establish a consistent and predictable Medicare payment pathway for these AI-enabled technologies. This would assign FDA-approved devices to a new technology payment classification for at least five years to support innovation, data collection, and broader patient access to advanced diagnostic and treatment tools.
Senator Blackburn supported seniors’ access to high-quality care by announcing the formation of a Medicare payment reform working group to investigate and propose long-term reforms to the physician fee schedule and make necessary updates to the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act.
As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Blackburn has positioned herself as one of the leaders on pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) reform. For too long, PBMs have taken advantage of misaligned incentives in the pharmaceutical supply chain at the expense of taxpayers and seniors. Senator Blackburn introduced the Patients Before Middlemen (PBM) Act to de-link PBM compensation from drug prices and utilization volumes. This legislation was signed into law by President Trump. She also led the Ensuring Access to Medicaid Buy-in Programs Act to make certain working Americans with disabilities are not forced to retire to keep their Medicaid coverage and benefits. This bill was also signed into law by President Trump.
Senator Blackburn introduced the Health Coverage Across State Lines Act to allow health insurers to offer individual health insurance plans across state lines. This would lower costs, expand options, and increase competition in the insurance marketplace.
Tennessee is home to several innovative hospitals and healthcare facilities dedicated to treating childhood illnesses. As a mother and grandmother, Senator Blackburn understands the crucial importance of ensuring parents and their children have access to quality, life-saving pediatric care.
Senator Blackburn has been a strong advocate for legislation that streamlines access to essential medical care for children with complex medical conditions. She co-sponsored the Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act, a bipartisan measure designed to create a streamlined pathway for pediatric providers to enroll in multiple state Medicaid programs. This legislation was signed into law by President Trump in 2026 as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act. It eliminates unnecessary delays, reduces administrative burdens on providers, and ensures that children on Medicaid receive timely access to the specialized care they need.
In Tennessee, the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt University stands out as one of the nation's leading children's hospitals and the largest in the Southeast. Located in Nashville, it serves as Middle Tennessee’s first full-service children’s hospital and is ranked nationally in 10 specialties, offering the highest-level NICU and emergency care. Senator Blackburn has been a long-time supporter of the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital. As a young mother in Tennessee, she was one of the original organizers of the Friends & Fashion event, which fundraises and supports the patients and families of the Children’s Hospital through various activities and programs.
