Tennessee Code Title 71. Welfare § 71-5-113

(a) Except as required in § 71-5-112, whenever a hearing is required by state or federal law or constitutional provision, the department shall provide such hearings before the commissioner or the commissioner's designee.

(b) Such hearing shall be held in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5, except that the commissioner may adopt rules that establish procedures not necessarily in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act for the review of appeals from denials of claims for payment for medical assistance under this part where the amount of the claim is less than five hundred dollars ($500).

(c) The procedures shall include the opportunity for an informal hearing before the commissioner or the commissioner's designee, who shall not be a medicaid employee.