AI-assisted research summary: This section limits how certain buprenorphine providers and facilities may take payment, including restrictions on cash and card types, and requires TennCare-related billing and disclosure.
Except as provided in subsection (b), a healthcare prescriber of a buprenorphine product for use in recovery or medication-assisted treatment, or a nonresidential office-based opiate treatment facility, as defined in § 33-2-402, shall only accept a check, money order, or debit card or credit card that is linked to a bank or credit card account from a financial institution, in payment for services provided by the healthcare prescriber or facility. Use of prepaid debit cards, prepaid credit cards, gift cards, or any other card not linked with a bank or credit card account from a financial institution is prohibited. As used in this subsection (a), “financial institution” means a state or national bank, a state or federally chartered credit union, or a savings bank. A healthcare prescriber or facility described in subsection (a) may accept payment for services provided to a patient by the prescriber or facility in cash for a co-pay, coinsurance, or deductible if the prescriber or facility submits the remainder of the bill for the services provided to the patient's insurance plan for reimbursement. If the patient does not have an insurance plan, then the healthcare prescriber or facility shall not accept cash as payment for services provided. No healthcare provider, licensed by title 63, chapter 6, 7, 9, or 19, shall be compensated or receive payment for services related to buprenorphine treatment: By which the provider receives an amount per patient that is treated within the office or other setting; or By any means by which the provider receives a percentage of a payment that is directly received by a patient to the office, nonresidential office-based opiate treatment facility, as defined in § 33-2-402, or other provider. A healthcare provider licensed under title 63, or a nonresidential office-based opiate treatment facility, as defined in § 33-2-402, shall not knowingly treat any TennCare enrollee with buprenorphine products for use in recovery or medication-assisted treatment unless that provider directly bills or seeks reimbursement from TennCare or TennCare's managed care organizations for services provided to the TennCare enrollee. A person is required to disclose to the healthcare provider or nonresidential office-based opiate treatment facility, as defined in § 33-2-402, that the person is a TennCare enrollee seeking treatment with buprenorphine products for use in recovery or medication-assisted treatment.