US EditionHealthcare providers can deny care that conflicts with conscience under new Tennessee law
- On April 24, 2025, Tennessee’s Governor Bill Lee enacted the Medical Ethics Defense Act, officially making it law in the state.
- The law responds to concerns that healthcare providers faced pressure to perform procedures violating their ethical, moral, or religious beliefs.
- The MED Act protects healthcare workers from government retaliation for refusing to participate in abortions or transgender care and shields whistleblowers reporting violations.
- The Tennessee Senate passed the bill 27-3 and the House 71-22 along party lines, with all Republicans supporting and all Democrats opposing the legislation.
- This law grants medical professionals legal safeguards to act according to conscience, potentially influencing healthcare workforce morale and practices in Tennessee.
9 Articles
9 Articles
Healthcare providers can deny care that conflicts with conscience under new Tennessee law
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Governor Bill Lee signed into law the Medical Ethics Defense Act, which lets healthcare practitioners refuse to perform or pay for a procedure or prescription that goes against their personal morals, ethics, or religious beliefs. The legislation, which applies to medical professionals, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and insurance companies, immediately went into effect with Gov. Lee's signature. The House spons…
Tennessee Bill Guards Conscience Protections for Healthcare Providers
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed the Medical Ethics Defense Act (MED Act), protecting healthcare providers from being required to pay for or participate in procedures that violate their conscience. The legislation, SB 955, also protects whistleblowers from being discriminated against if they disclose medical ethical violations, mismanagement, abuse, waste of funds, or practices that put patients at risk. In addition, it protects the free speec…
New Tennessee Law Protects Doctors' Conscience
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (R) recently signed a bill allowing medical personnel to refuse to conduct abortions or other practices violating their religious beliefs and conscience. Under the Medical Ethics Defense Act, a “healthcare provider must not be required to participate in or pay for a healthcare procedure, treatment, or service that violates the conscience of the healthcare provider.” The law further protects personnel from discriminati…
Tenn. gov. signs bill providing conscience protections for healthcare workers
Tennessee has become the latest state to enshrine conscience rights for medical professionals into law as the number of states with measures designed to protect the religious liberty of healthcare workers continues to increase. #Religiousliberty #Tennessee #FirstAmendment #AllianceDefendingFreedom
Tennessee Lawmakers Protect the Conscience Rights of Medical Professionals Who Oppose Killing and Mutilating Patients - Black Community News
Governor Bill Lee of Tennessee in 2024 signed a bill into law to protect religious public officials with the authority to issue marriage licenses or officiate weddings. Judges, magistrates, administrators, and clerks in Tennessee who, for religious reasons, want nothing to do with homosexual “marriage” can recuse themselves without facing government retaliation. The governor last …
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