UnitedHealthcare Community Plan’s Tennessee policy lists TMS for several physical health conditions as unproven and not medically necessary for Medicaid and CoverKids.
Tennessee medical-policy update
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan’s Medical Policy CS124TN.N applies to Medicaid and CoverKids in Tennessee, according to the insurer’s policy document. The policy took effect April 1, 2026, and addresses transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, when used to treat medical, non-behavioral conditions.
The document describes TMS for these uses as unproven and not medically necessary under the medical policy. UnitedHealthcare Community Plan separately directs readers seeking information about behavioral disorders to an Optum Behavioral Clinical Policy on TMS.
Conditions named in the policy
According to UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, the policy’s medical-condition list includes Alzheimer disease, chronic neuropathic pain, epilepsy, headaches, Parkinson disease, stroke, tinnitus and traumatic brain injury.
The document does not describe these as behavioral disorders. Instead, it places them within its discussion of medical, or non-behavioral, uses of TMS.
Protocols also listed
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan also lists theta-burst stimulation as unproven under this Tennessee medical policy. The document specifies that this includes accelerated and MRI-guided protocols.
The policy language applies to the listed medical uses and protocols for Tennessee Medicaid and CoverKids members, according to UnitedHealthcare Community Plan. For behavioral-disorder questions, the document points to Optum’s separate behavioral clinical policy rather than providing those criteria in this medical-policy extract.
What this means for Tennessee patients
For people looking for treatment locally, policy language can be one factor in understanding whether a particular TMS use may be addressed under a health plan’s rules. This directory lists 97 published clinics in Tennessee, but patients should review applicable plan materials and discuss questions with their care team or health plan.
This is general information, not medical advice.
More Tennessee reporting on access & coverage.
This report is educational and is not medical advice. Coverage, availability and eligibility can change; verify details with the named source or your care team.