A 58-year-old man has died in the United States after a delay in insurance approval prevented him from receiving potentially life-extending cancer treatment in time, according to media reports.Eric Tennant, a mining safety instructor from Bridgeport, West Virginia, was diagnosed in 2023 with stage IV cholangiocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive cancer of the bile duct that has spread to other parts of his body.After more than two years of chemotherapy and radiation, Tennant was identified in early 2025 as a suitable candidate for histotripsy, a non-surgical procedure that uses ultrasound waves to target liver tumors.His doctors were willing to go ahead, but his insurance company, the Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA), which partners with UnitedHealthcare, denied coverage, saying the treatment was “not medically necessary.”
Appeals fail, and the costs are very high
The Tennant family filed several appeals, providing medical records and expert opinions, but the requests were repeatedly rejected.The procedure would have cost about $50,000 out of pocket, forcing the family to consider tapping into their retirement savings.
“People shouldn’t have to beg for help, especially for something they’re already paying for,” his wife Rebecca was quoted as saying.While the family did not expect a cure, they believed that treatment could have extended Tennant’s life and improved his quality.The insurer eventually reversed its decision in May 2025 – after media inquiries – but by then Tennant’s condition had deteriorated. He is no longer eligible for this procedure.He was later placed in hospice care and died in September 2025.“He wasn’t afraid of death, but he didn’t want to die,” Rebecca said. “You could tell the last day he was fighting it.”The case has drawn attention to the controversial practice of prior authorization, under which insurance companies must approve treatments before implementing them.A KFF report found that more than a quarter of US doctors surveyed said prior authorization led to serious adverse events in patients.
About 8% said it led to disability, birth defects, or death.Insurers say this process acts as a safeguard to ensure the appropriate use of treatments, especially new or experimental treatments.UnitedHealthcare said there is limited evidence on the effectiveness of histotripsy and its impact on survival.Tennant’s case has since prompted legislative action in West Virginia.The new law, signed by Gov. Patrick Morrisey on March 31, allows patients to choose medically appropriate alternative treatments at equal or lower cost without needing new approval.The law also provides faster timelines for responding to urgent cases, and is scheduled to take effect on June 10.The move aims to reduce delays during critical treatment periods and give patients greater flexibility in care decisions, lawmakers said.Rebecca Tennant said early access to tissue fragmentation could have helped control the tumor in her husband’s liver.“The insurance company’s decision not only delayed care, it closed doors,” she said.
