Know your rights as a patient in Tennessee. From surprise billing protections to financial assistance programs, here's what the law says about your medical bills.
Based on CMS cost report data from 125 hospitals in Tennessee.
Tennessee hospitals charge an average of 5.5× their actual costs. The average hospital stay is billed at $182,800, while the actual cost is $33,400. Compare prices at specific hospitals →
The federal No Surprises Act protects all Tennessee patients, regardless of state laws:
Out-of-Network Consumer Protection Act (SB 1869) (2020) protects Tennessee patients from unexpected out-of-network medical bills.
If you receive a surprise out-of-network bill, you are not responsible for the balance beyond what you'd pay for in-network care. Contact your insurer and reference the Out-of-Network Consumer Protection Act (SB 1869) to dispute any balance bill.
Under Tennessee Hospital Indigent Care Act & Federal 501(r), hospitals in Tennessee must provide financial assistance to qualifying patients.
Income threshold: Varies by hospital (typically 200-250% FPL)
Tennessee has a 6-year statute of limitations on written contracts (Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-109). For oral contracts, it's 6 years as well. Medical debt falls under these limits.
After 6 years, creditors cannot sue you to collect medical debt in Tennessee. The clock starts from the date of your last payment or acknowledgment of the debt.
Beyond surprise billing and financial assistance, federal and state law provide these important protections.
Uninsured or self-pay patients can request a good faith estimate of charges before receiving care. If the final bill exceeds the estimate by $400 or more, you can dispute it through the federal process.
You have the right to an itemized bill showing each charge. Review it carefully — billing errors are found in up to 80% of hospital bills according to industry estimates.
Since 2021, all hospitals must publish their standard charges and negotiated rates online. Use Taven's price comparison tool to see how Tennessee hospitals compare.
Hospitals must offer reasonable payment plans before pursuing collections. Ask about interest-free options and negotiate monthly payment amounts based on your income.
Tennessee has a 6-year statute of limitations on medical debt (Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-109). After 6 years from the date of last payment, creditors cannot sue you to collect the debt.
Yes. The Out-of-Network Consumer Protection Act (SB 1869, 2020) protects patients from surprise bills for emergency services and ancillary services at in-network facilities. The federal No Surprises Act adds further protections.
No. Tennessee has not expanded Medicaid under the ACA. Low-income adults without children generally do not qualify for TennCare (Tennessee Medicaid). This makes hospital financial assistance programs especially important.
Yes, after a court judgment. Tennessee allows garnishment of up to 25% of disposable earnings or the amount exceeding 30× the federal minimum wage, whichever is less.
Contact the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) at 615-741-2218 or file online. For billing fraud, contact the Tennessee Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division.
If a hospital or insurance company is violating your rights, you can file a formal complaint.
For insurance-related complaints: claim denials, balance billing, network issues.
📞 1-615-741-2218
File a complaint →For deceptive billing practices, fraud, or consumer protection violations.
File a complaint →Compare prices at 125 hospitals across Tennessee. Click any hospital to see their procedure prices and negotiated rates.
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