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Gov. Bill Lee Issues New Executive Order to Limit Non-Emergency Health Care Procedures
Updated May 1, 2020
On March 25, Gov. Bill Lee issued the following executive order restricting the provision of all (i) non-emergency dental and oral procedures (like hygiene visits and cosmetic procedures), and (ii) non-emergency elective surgical procedures in a hospital or outpatient surgical facility.
Read Executive Order No. 18.
Update: April 9, 2020
On April 8, Gov. Bill Lee extended the restriction on elective procedures through April 30, 2020, with specific instructions as to the conservation of highly valuable personal protective equipment.
Read Executive Order No. 25.
Update: May 1, 2020
In a press conference on Monday, April 27, 2020, Gov. Bill Lee announced that elective medical procedures may resume within Tennessee on Friday, May 1, 2020. Health care facilities are asked to develop a plan to gradually phase in elective procedures to minimize community transmission of COVID-19 and to preserve PPE. The Tennessee Hospital Association has developed guidance for health care facilities to aid in developing a phased approach to elective surgery and procedures, which can be found here.
While elective medical procedures may resume, the ban on non-emergency dental procedures remains in effect for at least one more week. On April 29, 2020, Gov. Bill Lee issued Executive Order No. 31, which temporarily extends the ban on non-emergency dental procedures (e.g., hygiene visits and cosmetic procedures) to allow the Tennessee Dental Association and the Tennessee Dental Hygienists’ Association to develop appropriate guidelines to resume non-emergency dental procedures in light of ADA recommendations issued on April 27, 2020. Executive Order No. 31 remains in effect until May 6, 2020.
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The material in this publication was created as of the date set forth above and is based on laws, court decisions, administrative rulings, and congressional materials that existed at that time, and should not be construed as legal advice or legal opinions on specific facts. In some cases, the underlying legal information is changing quickly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The information in this publication is not intended to create, and the transmission and receipt of it does not constitute, a lawyer-client relationship. Please contact your legal counsel for advice regarding specific situations.
