AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 27; Title 50; Title 56 and Title 71, relative to insurance coverage of pregnant employees.
Summary
SB0190 requires an employer, beginning July 1, 2025, to continue paying its share of an employer-sponsored health benefit plan for an employee whom the employer knows is pregnant if that employee is terminated while still pregnant. The employer may not ask the insurer to end coverage, and the insurer may not terminate coverage at the employer’s request, until the employer receives a signed written statement from the former employee confirming the date the pregnancy ended. The statement may be submitted electronically.
The bill also places a duty on the former employee to notify the employer within 30 days after the pregnancy ends, whether by childbirth or otherwise. If the former employee does not provide that notice, the employer may sue in court to recover the costs of maintaining the coverage from the date of termination. The measure amends Tennessee law in Titles 8, 50, 56, and 71 to create this new protection and enforcement mechanism for pregnant workers.
Impact
The bill creates a new state-law requirement governing continuation of employer-sponsored health coverage for pregnant employees who are terminated while pregnant. It affects employer obligations, insurer termination procedures, and potential reimbursement litigation, and it adds a specific notice-and-recovery framework to Tennessee employment and insurance law. The practical effect is to preserve health insurance coverage during pregnancy-related transitions after termination, while giving employers a statutory remedy if the former employee does not provide the required notice.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee discussion or votes in the provided materials, the measure appears to be framed as a protective, pro-coverage policy for pregnant employees. Its structure suggests support for maintaining health benefits during pregnancy, with a limited administrative burden placed on employers and insurers. No contrary viewpoints are documented in the supplied context, so there is no recorded evidence of opposition or debate in the available materials.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is the balance between protecting coverage for pregnant employees and imposing continued premium costs on employers after termination. Employers may object to being required to keep paying for coverage until they receive written notice that the pregnancy has ended, especially if the former employee delays or fails to notify them. Insurers are also restricted from terminating coverage based on employer request without proof of that notice. The bill addresses employer concerns by allowing a lawsuit to recover costs if the former employee does not provide the required notice.
Crossfiled
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 27; Title 50; Title 56 and Title 71, relative to insurance coverage of pregnant employees.