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Bill to protect health coverage for catastrophically injured officers advances
Summary
A bill sponsored by Representative Scarborough would allow health coverage to continue up to two years for officers catastrophically injured on duty, with the state reimbursing local governments for the employer share; the committee voted 5–0 to advance the measure.
Representative Scarborough explained House Bill 2405, a measure brought by the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police, to ensure officers who suffer catastrophic injuries on duty maintain health insurance coverage during a difficult transition. "This legislation ensures that when an officer's catastrophic [injury] ... the officer and their families may also lose their employee-provided health insurance coverage at the exact moment when they need it the most," the sponsor said, describing the bill's intent to protect families and extend coverage up to two years.
Committee members asked whether COBRA or federal timelines would affect the length of coverage and how local costs would be reimbursed. The sponsor said local political subdivisions may continue coverage and the state "reimburses the local government for the employer's share of the health care insurance premium." The clerk announced the vote as 5–0 in favor and the bill will advance to the full committee.
