Year-Round Options: Health Insurance You Can Apply for Any Day in Tennessee

The short answer

Two Tennessee programs take applications every day of the year — no window, no waiting for November:

• TennCare (Tennessee's Medicaid program)
• CoverKids (Tennessee's CHIP program)

If you qualify, you can apply today. Right now. A Tuesday in March, a Saturday in August — it doesn't matter. Marketplace plans and Medicare do not work this way, and we'll say so plainly below so nobody gets the wrong idea.

TennCare: who's eligible, how to apply

Who it covers:

• Low-income parents and caretakers of children, up to 100% of the federal poverty level (FPL)
• Pregnant women up to 250% FPL, with coverage that continues through 12 months postpartum
• Children at higher income bands (if your child doesn't qualify for CoverKids, TennCare may still cover them)

What Tennessee hasn't done: Tennessee has not expanded Medicaid. That means most childless adults don't qualify for TennCare at any income — this is the coverage gap. If that's you, a marketplace plan during open enrollment is usually the path to check.

How to apply: online at tenncareconnect.tn.gov, by phone at 855-259-0701, or in person at your local health department.

CoverKids: who's eligible, how to apply

Who it covers:

• Children under 19 who are Tennessee residents, in families earning up to 250% FPL (that's $82,500 a year for a family of four) — and who aren't eligible for TennCare
• Pregnant women up to 250% FPL — no immigration documents required to apply

What it costs: There is no monthly premium, and copays are low.

How to apply: online at tenncareconnect.tn.gov, by phone at 855-259-0701, or in person at your local health department.

When to pick which: If your household income is low enough that you or your children might qualify for TennCare, apply for TennCare first — the application will route your child to the right program if they land on the CoverKids side instead.

Now the honest part: what does NOT have year-round enrollment

We don't want anyone reading this page and assuming they can buy a marketplace plan in March for no reason. They can't.

Marketplace plans (HealthCare.gov) have enrollment windows:

• Open enrollment: November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027
• Outside that window, you need a special enrollment period — a 60-day window around a qualifying life event, like losing job-based coverage or aging off a parent's plan

Medicare has its own fixed enrollment periods too:

• Initial Enrollment Period (around your 65th birthday)
• Annual Enrollment: October 15 – December 7
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: January 1 – March 31
• General Enrollment: January 1 – March 31

Free, unbiased Medicare counseling is available from TN SHIP at 1-877-801-0044.

If you're reading this outside open enrollment: your decision tree

1. Check TennCare and CoverKids first. No window, no deadline. If anyone in your household qualifies — especially children or a pregnant woman — apply today at tenncareconnect.tn.gov or 855-259-0701.
2. Did a life event just happen? If you lost job-based coverage, aged off a parent's plan, moved, or had another qualifying life event, you may get a 60-day special enrollment period for a marketplace plan. See Special Enrollment Periods.
3. Otherwise, mark November 1 on the calendar. That's when marketplace open enrollment starts. In the meantime, free help is available: GetCoveredTenn navigators offer in-person assistance in Cheatham, Davidson, Fayette, Robertson, Rutherford, Shelby, Sumner, Tipton, Williamson, and Wilson counties, and phone or virtual help statewide at 1-866-475-7879.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for TennCare in the middle of the year, even when open enrollment isn't happening? Yes. TennCare and CoverKids aren't tied to open enrollment at all — applications are accepted year-round. Open enrollment only governs marketplace plans.

What's the difference between TennCare and CoverKids? TennCare is Tennessee's Medicaid program; it covers low-income parents and caretakers (up to 100% FPL), pregnant women (up to 250% FPL, with 12 months postpartum), and children at higher income bands. CoverKids is Tennessee's CHIP program; it covers children under 19 in families up to 250% FPL who aren't TennCare-eligible, plus pregnant women up to 250% FPL. Both use the same application — apply at tenncareconnect.tn.gov and your household gets routed to the right program.

I earn too much for TennCare. Can I get a marketplace plan right now? Not for no reason, no. Outside open enrollment (November 1, 2026 – January 15, 2027), you'd need a qualifying life event that opens a 60-day special enrollment period. Check TennCare/CoverKids first, then see Special Enrollment Periods to find out if your situation qualifies.

I'm 65 and just retired. Can I sign up for Medicare whenever I want? Medicare has fixed enrollment periods — it isn't year-round either. Which period applies depends on your situation, so call TN SHIP at 1-877-801-0044 for free counseling before you make any decisions.

My kid is uninsured and I just lost my job. Where do I start? Start with TennCare/CoverKids — no window, no waiting. Children qualify at higher income levels than adults, and job loss often changes eligibility in your favor. Apply at tenncareconnect.tn.gov or 855-259-0701, or walk into your local health department for in-person help.

Sources

• Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration, Division of TennCare — TennCare eligibility and CoverKids program information (tn.gov)
• TennCare Connect — online application portal (tenncareconnect.tn.gov)
• HealthCare.gov — marketplace open enrollment dates and special enrollment period rules
• Medicare.gov — Medicare enrollment periods
• Tennessee State Health Insurance Assistance Program (TN SHIP) — 1-877-801-0044
• GetCoveredTenn — Navigator program county coverage and contact information

Your next step: Check TennCare and CoverKids eligibility first — you can apply any day of the year. If nobody in your household qualifies and there's no recent life event, plan for marketplace open enrollment starting November 1: start with 2027 Open Enrollment, or get free help from a GetCoveredTenn navigator at 1-866-475-7879.