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HB 2243

Insurance, Health, Accident - As introduced, enacts the "Stopping Health Insurers from Excluding Legal Decisions (SHIELD) Act." - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 56 and Title 71.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Brock Martin

Tennessee bill restricts health insurers from denying coverage solely because of adverse legal decisions, potentially expanding access to treatments courts have deemed permissible.

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Bill Summary · HB 2243

Legislative bill overview

HB 2243, the "Stopping Health Insurers from Excluding Legal Decisions (SHIELD) Act," amends Tennessee insurance law to restrict health insurers' ability to deny coverage based on legal decisions or judicial outcomes. The bill modifies statutes governing insurance practices, health coverage, and related regulations across multiple Tennessee Code Annotated titles.

Why is this important

This legislation directly affects what health insurers can use as justification for coverage denials, potentially expanding access to treatments that courts have deemed legal. The practical impact depends on which specific legal decisions the bill protects against—this could range from coverage of procedures in legal gray areas to treatments that insurers currently exclude based on regulatory or judicial determinations.

Potential points of contention

  • Scope ambiguity: The bill's title suggests broad protections for "legal decisions," but without seeing the full text, it's unclear whether this covers all court rulings, specific procedure types, or particular legal challenges to insurance denials
  • Insurance market stability: Mandating coverage based on legal decisions rather than medical evidence or actuarial data could increase premiums or force insurers to restructure coverage tiers
  • Definition of "legal decisions": Disagreement likely exists over whether this includes judicial rulings, legislative determinations, regulatory agency decisions, or all three—each carries different implications for coverage obligations

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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