Tennessee physicians and their patients depend on health insurance companies to comply with the laws designed to ensure access to care. In 2026, Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) Commissioner Carter Lawrence has demonstrated that those requirements are more than words on paper.

The Tennessee Medical Association (TMA) commends Commissioner Lawrence and the Department for taking enforcement action against several major health insurers operating in Tennessee. The actions are particularly noteworthy because many involve Tennessee's network adequacy requirements—laws intended to ensure that an insurer's provider network actually gives its enrollees reasonable access to physicians, hospitals and other healthcare services.

Network Adequacy Requirements Matter

A health insurance plan's provider directory and network are of little value to a patient if the physicians and facilities necessary to provide care are not reasonably available. Tennessee’s network adequacy law was strengthened in 2024 by amendments supported by TMA, one of which requires each health insurer to file a network adequacy standards description with the Commissioner and update it annually.

Several of the Department's 2026 enforcement actions involved failures associated with the reporting requirements TMA and organized medicine fought to enact.

Aetna Health, Inc., Alliant Health Plans, Inc., Oscar Insurance Company, and United Healthcare all agreed to $10,000 civil penalties for failing to timely submit required reports.

The Commissioner assessed a $50,000 civil penalty against Cigna and required it to take corrective action after identifying network adequacy deficiencies involving Cigna's healthcare provider network. According to the Department's action, Cigna did not maintain an adequate facility network in Bradley, McMinn, Polk, Robertson, Scott and Sumner counties and also failed to provide required information concerning hospital specialty networks.

“TMA appreciates Commissioner Lawrence's willingness to use the Department's regulatory authority to enforce Tennessee's health insurance laws,” said TMA president, Dr. Gene Huffstutter, a Chattanooga rheumatologist. “TMA looks forward to continued vigorous oversight of health insurers and enforcement of the laws the General Assembly has enacted, and TMA worked hard to support, in order to protect Tennessee patients and the physicians who care for them.”  

The Tennessee Medical Association is a nonprofit professional organization for Tennessee physicians. TMA represents more than 10,000 Tennessee physicians and physicians-in-training. The organization advocates for public policies, laws and rules that promote healthcare safety and quality for all Tennesseans and improve the nonclinical aspects of practicing medicine. Learn more at tnmed.org.