West Virginia's Republican governor has signed legislation aimed at reforming insurance prior authorization practices, six months after a cancer patient died following delays in his treatment caused by insurance coverage disputes.

Eric Tennant, who was diagnosed with bile duct cancer, had sought a specific treatment that his doctors recommended in hopes of prolonging his life. His health insurance company initially denied coverage for the treatment, leading to a prolonged battle over approval.

By the time Tennant's insurance company ultimately approved the treatment, his cancer had progressed too far for the therapy to be effective. Tennant died following the extended dispute over his care.

Tennant's case was featured in NBC News' investigative series "The Cost of Denial" last summer, which examined how insurance denials can impact patient care. Following his death, Tennant's widow advocated for changes to state law governing insurance practices.

The new West Virginia legislation specifically targets what lawmakers described as harmful effects of insurance denials and prior authorization requirements. The bill represents an effort to prevent similar delays in medical care that patients and their families have attributed to insurance company practices.