NBC News · Cost of Denial
After a man's death following insurance denials, West Virginia changes the law
Cost of Denial report — after Eric Tennant died while fighting his insurer for doctor-recommended cancer treatment, his widow's campaign helped pass a West Virginia law curbing insurance denials, signed by the governor.
McLaughlin first reported on Eric Tennant, a West Virginia coal-mine safety instructor whose insurer repeatedly denied coverage of histotripsy for his liver cancer — the state plan reversed only after NBC News and KFF Health News began asking questions, too late for him to benefit. After his death, his widow Rebecca Tennant took his case to the legislature: in March 2026 Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed a bill — passed unanimously — letting patients with an approved treatment pursue an equal-or-lower-cost alternative without restarting authorization.
Why it mattered
The law — passed unanimously and inspired by the Tennant case documented in the reporting — lets approved patients pursue equal-or-lower-cost alternatives without restarting the authorization process.
- Joint investigation partner
- KFF Health News
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