This is a free, independent, not-for-profit site, built only to educate. We don't sell insurance or collect your information. We exist to help every Tennessean answer three questions with confidence: what plans can I buy, when can I buy them, and how do I pay for them? Here's the short version — then pick your situation below to go deeper.
The three questions, answered in 60 seconds
What plans can I buy? Tennessee uses the federally run marketplace, so you shop and enroll at HealthCare.gov. For 2027, five insurers will sell individual and family marketplace plans in the state: BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Celtic/Ambetter, Oscar, UnitedHealthcare, and Alliant. If you had Cigna in 2026, you'll need to pick a new plan during open enrollment — Cigna is leaving the Tennessee marketplace at the end of 2026. Depending on your income and circumstances, you may instead qualify for TennCare (Tennessee's Medicaid program), CoverKids for children, or choose alternatives like Farm Bureau health plans or short-term plans — each with trade-offs our guides spell out. Compare marketplace plans →
When can I buy them? Open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov. Enroll by December 15, 2026 for coverage starting January 1, 2027; enrollments made December 16 through January 15 start February 1, 2027. If you miss open enrollment, certain life changes — like losing job-based coverage or aging off a parent's plan — can open a special enrollment period, and TennCare and CoverKids accept applications year-round. See every enrollment window →
How do I pay for them? Marketplace enrollees with household income between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can qualify for premium tax credits that lower monthly premiums — roughly $15,960 to $63,840 a year for a single person, or $33,000 to $132,000 for a family of four. One warning for 2027: the enhanced subsidies expired on December 31, 2025, so the old hard cutoff is back — one dollar over 400% of the poverty level means zero tax credit. Households between 100% and 250% of the poverty level can also get cost-sharing reductions that lower deductibles and copays, but only on silver plans. You pay premiums directly to your insurer, and your first premium must be paid for coverage to take effect. Learn how subsidies work →
Find your situation
Losing job coverage. You may qualify for a special enrollment period that lets you buy a marketplace plan outside open enrollment. Start with the enrollment calendar, then compare marketplace plans against anything your former employer offers. →
Self-employed or freelance. Marketplace plans are the main route, and subsidies are based on your estimated household income for the year — getting the estimate right matters at tax time. →
Turning 26. Aging off a parent's plan can open a special enrollment period. Check the calendar for timing and what's needed to enroll. →
Low income. Check TennCare first — it covers low-income parents (up to 100% of the poverty level), pregnant women (up to 250%), and children at higher incomes. One honest warning: Tennessee has not expanded Medicaid, so most childless adults don't qualify at any income, and earning under 100% of the poverty level means no marketplace subsidies either. →
Turning 65 or on Medicare. Medicare has its own enrollment periods — the fall Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 to December 7, 2026 for 2027 coverage. Free, unbiased counseling is available through TN SHIP at 1-877-801-0044. →
Small business owner. Weighing coverage for employees? Our guide walks through how to evaluate job-based coverage against the marketplace. →
What changed for 2027
- Enhanced premium tax credits are gone. They expired December 31, 2025, and Congress has not renewed them. The original 100%–400% federal poverty level rules apply, with the hard cliff at 400%.
- No more cap on paying back extra credits. Starting with tax year 2026, if your income ends up higher than you estimated, you repay the full excess advance credit at tax time. How to estimate safely →
- Fewer immigrants qualify for tax credits. Starting in 2027, credits are limited to green card holders, certain Cuban and Haitian entrants, and COFA migrants. Immigrant guide →
- Cigna is exiting. Six insurers sold marketplace plans in Tennessee for 2026; five remain for 2027. Cigna enrollees must choose a new plan during open enrollment.
- The enrollment window stays long. A federal rule had shortened it to December 15, but a court vacated that provision in June 2026, and CMS confirmed the November 1 – January 15 schedule stands. Some older websites still show the December 15 end date — they are out of date.
- Premiums rose again. The statewide average approved increase for 2027 individual-market rates is roughly 15–16%, the second consecutive year of double-digit increases. We don't publish standing prices — they vary by age, county, and tobacco use and change every plan year. Check current rates with HealthCare.gov window shopping →
Frequently asked questions
When is open enrollment for 2027 coverage in Tennessee? November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027, on HealthCare.gov or by calling 1-800-318-2596. Enroll by December 15, 2026 for coverage starting January 1, 2027. Enrollments or plan changes made December 16 through January 15 take effect February 1, 2027.
Does Tennessee have its own health insurance marketplace? No. Tennessee uses the federally facilitated marketplace, which means you shop, compare, and enroll at HealthCare.gov. Free enrollment help is available from GetCoveredTenn, the state's Navigator program, at 1-866-475-7879.
How do I know if I qualify for help paying premiums? Premium tax credits are generally available to households earning between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level — about $15,960–$63,840 a year for a single person or $33,000–$132,000 for a family of four, based on the 2026 poverty guidelines. Go one dollar over 400% and the credit drops to zero. Cost-sharing reductions (lower deductibles and copays) require income between 100% and 250% of the poverty level and a silver plan.
What if I earn too little for marketplace subsidies but don't qualify for TennCare? You're describing the coverage gap, and it's real in Tennessee: the state has not expanded Medicaid, so most childless adults don't qualify for TennCare at any income, and households below 100% of the poverty level don't qualify for marketplace subsidies. Children in the household may still qualify for CoverKids (up to 250% of the poverty level), and a Navigator can talk through local options.
What if I lose my job's health coverage? A job loss or coverage loss can trigger a special enrollment period for the marketplace — you don't have to wait for open enrollment. See our enrollment calendar for the qualifying events, and move quickly: compare the marketplace against any continuation coverage your employer offers before the window closes.
Where can I see actual plan prices? On HealthCare.gov's plan comparison tool or on insurers' own websites, once window shopping opens for the year. We deliberately don't publish specific premium prices — they depend on your age, county, and tobacco use, and they change every plan year. Instead, our costs section teaches you how prices are set and how to compare plans apples to apples.
Where does this site get its facts? Every claim traces to a primary source: HealthCare.gov, CMS, the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance, or TennCare/tn.gov. Read our full methodology — including what we refuse to publish — on the how we verify page.
Sources
- HealthCare.gov (Tennessee marketplace enrollment, open enrollment dates)
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services — 2027 plan-year parameters, rate-review filings, and public statements on the 2027 open enrollment schedule
- Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance — consumer resources and carrier information
- TennCare / tn.gov — TennCare Eligibility Reference Guide, TennCare Connect, and CoverKids eligibility pages
- GetCoveredTenn — Tennessee Navigator program
- Federal poverty guidelines published by HHS (2026 figures, applied to 2027 coverage)
Education only, never sales. TN Health Coverage Explained is independent and not-for-profit: no ads, no commissions, no one selling you a plan. For free one-on-one help, call GetCoveredTenn at 1-866-475-7879 or HealthCare.gov at 1-800-318-2596. About us
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