Covenant Health says contract talks with UnitedHealthcare have stalled and warns United members they could lose in‑network access at Covenant Medical Group on July 1.

A new HHS OIG audit finds widespread generator and maintenance failures at U.S. nursing homes and places Tennessee in a medium‑risk category. Families and regulators face fresh questions about enforcement and readiness.

Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital will pause its developmental‑behavioral pediatrics clinic on June 29, 2026, prompting worry from families who rely on long‑wait specialty care.

The USDA will scatter edible rabies‑vaccine baits across East Tennessee and nearby states in mid‑April; residents may see low‑flying aircraft and matchbox‑sized packets on the ground.

Volunteer-run RAM clinics delivered free dental, vision, and basic medical care to hundreds in Knoxville, where patients slept in their cars to get in line. The weekend underscored gaps in U.S. coverage.

Knox County’s forensic center says infant sleep-related deaths jumped and is teaming with health partners to share daily safe-sleep tips and crib resources.

Tennessee poison‑control officials report a steep rise in exposures to semaglutide and tirzepatide, driven by dosing errors and unregulated products. Calls climbed sharply from 2021 to 2025.

East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and Cigna reached a deal Friday that keeps the Knoxville hospital in‑network, averting a March 1 coverage split and easing parents’ concerns.

Starr Regional moved patients into a new Madison Avenue ICU, doubling capacity to 10 private rooms and adding tele‑ICU technology and family space.

A new state review finds mental‑health conditions — largely tied to substance use — are now the leading cause of pregnancy‑related deaths in Tennessee while officials map recommendations to prevent more deaths.

Knox County’s forensic lab linked 16 overdose deaths to a new synthetic opioid, cychlorphine, and officials warn naloxone may not fully reverse its effects.

All 14 nurses in Sweetwater's labor-and-delivery unit handed in notices after SHA announced a Feb. 28 closure; staff warn longer drives will raise safety risks for local births.

A new American Lung Association report gives Tennessee failing marks across taxes, funding and quit services, and warns federal cutbacks have worsened the state’s tobacco problem.