Eric Tennant, a 58-year-old man from Bridgeport, West Virginia, died after his health insurance coverage for a potentially new treatment was reportedly delayed. Tennant was diagnosed with stage 4 cholangiocarcinoma in 2023, a rare and aggressive cancer that spread throughout his body. His insurance was reportedly denied multiple times by the Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA), which contracts with UnitedHealthcare to administer benefits. The insurer stated that the histotripsy treatment was “not medically necessary” and that Tennant’s condition had declined by the time coverage was approved. The case has led to a new bill, HB 4965, which allows PEIA members to pursue an alternative treatment without needing approval from the state health delegate.