--- title: Health Insurance in Nashville & Middle Tennessee: A 2027 Guide url: https://www.tnhealthcoverageexplained.org/nashville description: Nashville-area health insurance for 2027: open enrollment dates, the five Tennessee marketplace insurers, free enrollment help, and what to check for 2027. last_verified: 2026-10-17 publisher: TN Health Coverage Explained (independent; does not sell insurance) --- # Health Insurance in Nashville & Middle Tennessee: A 2027 Guide **The short answer:** If you live in the Nashville metro, you buy health insurance the same way as everyone else in Tennessee — through **HealthCare.gov**, the federal marketplace. **Open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027**; enroll by **December 15, 2026** for coverage starting **January 1, 2027**. Five insurers will sell 2027 marketplace plans statewide — **BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Celtic/Ambetter, Oscar, UnitedHealthcare, and Alliant** — and choice is densest in big metros like Nashville. **If you had Cigna in 2026, you must pick a new plan** — Cigna exits the Tennessee marketplace on December 31, 2026. [Start comparing plans at HealthCare.gov →](https://www.healthcare.gov/see-plans/) --- ## What buying coverage in Nashville means The rules are the same statewide — open enrollment dates, subsidy eligibility, guaranteed issue, and essential health benefits are set federally and don't change by ZIP code. What Nashville gives you is **choice density**: Tennessee's largest metro historically draws the most insurers, so you'll typically see more carriers, more metal tiers, and more distinct plan designs than shoppers in rural counties see. See our [regions guide](https://www.tnhealthcoverageexplained.org/regions) for how the market works outside the metros. That said, your **county**, not the metro, is the unit that matters. Insurers file plans per rating area (Tennessee has 8), and options can change across county lines. Don't assume a plan your neighbor in Williamson County bought is available to you in Davidson County — **window-shop your own ZIP code** on HealthCare.gov. With more choice comes one discipline Nashville buyers need: **check your doctors and prescriptions before you enroll, not after.** A plan with a lower premium can become the expensive choice if your providers aren't in its network. Each plan's provider directory on HealthCare.gov is the authority — not a billboard, not an agent's summary. ## The 2027 market in brief - **Five insurers** will sell individual marketplace plans in Tennessee for 2027: BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Celtic/Ambetter, Oscar, UnitedHealthcare, and Alliant. We do not publish which of them will sell in Davidson County or any other specific county yet — the state's published carrier-by-area map still reflects 2026 (Cigna included) and can't be trusted for 2027. Window-shopping on HealthCare.gov will show exactly who's selling where you live. - **Cigna re-shoppers:** Cigna's Tennessee individual-market exit is final. If you had a Cigna marketplace plan in 2026, do **not** rely on auto-renewal — there is nothing to renew. Shop during open enrollment and pick a new plan. - **Rates are rising:** the statewide average approved 2027 individual-market rate increase is roughly **15.6–15.9%**, the second straight year of double-digit increases. We never publish specific premium prices — they vary by age, county, and tobacco use and change every plan year. Your own rate is on HealthCare.gov. - **The subsidy rules changed:** the enhanced premium tax credits expired December 31, 2025. For 2027, the original rules apply — tax credits for households earning **100%–400% of the federal poverty level**, with a **hard cliff at 400%** (one dollar over = zero credit). Households at 100%–250% of poverty can also get cost-sharing reductions, but only on silver plans. [How subsidies work →](https://www.tnhealthcoverageexplained.org/costs/subsidies) > **We're watching this:** two things could shift the 2027 picture. The House passed a three-year subsidy extension (H.R. 1834) in January 2026, but the Senate hadn't acted as of October 2026 — if it passes, the subsidy math changes. And we're confirming per-rating-area 2027 carrier availability as soon as HealthCare.gov window shopping opens (typically late October). We'll update this page when we verify them. ## Free enrollment help in Nashville Three sources, all free and unbiased: - **GetCoveredTenn — 1-866-475-7879.** Tennessee's Navigator program (operated by Family & Children's Service), serving all 95 counties. Navigators help with Marketplace, TennCare, and CoverKids enrollment and charge nothing. - **HealthCare.gov call center — 1-800-318-2596.** Open 24/7 except holidays; they can walk you through the application itself. - **TN SHIP — 1-877-801-0044.** If you're on or near Medicare, the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (run by the TN Commission on Aging and Disability) offers free, unbiased Medicare counseling. [More on Medicare in Tennessee →](https://www.tnhealthcoverageexplained.org/medicare-in-tennessee) > **Good to know:** GetCoveredTenn, Tennessee's Navigator program, is funded and operating for the 2027 open enrollment — in-person help in 10 counties (Cheatham, Davidson, Fayette, Robertson, Rutherford, Shelby, Sumner, Tipton, Williamson, Wilson), phone/virtual help statewide. **Book early and call ahead** — 1-866-475-7879. The HealthCare.gov call center (1-800-318-2596) is the reliable backup. ## Window-shop your ZIP code before you decide Don't wait for November 1 to start looking. HealthCare.gov's plan comparison tool (typically updated with next-year plans in late October) lets you enter your ZIP code and see exactly which plans, prices, and networks are available to *you* — for 2027, this is the only trustworthy way to know which of the five insurers is selling in your county. Have ready: your estimated 2027 household income (subsidies are based on it — [getting the estimate right matters at tax time](https://www.tnhealthcoverageexplained.org/costs/income-changes)), your doctors' names, and your prescription list. ## Your next step 1. **Window-shop your ZIP code** on [HealthCare.gov](https://www.healthcare.gov/see-plans/) once 2027 plans are visible (typically late October). 2. **Enroll by December 15, 2026** for coverage starting January 1, 2027. December 16 – January 15 enrollments start February 1, 2027. 3. **If you had Cigna in 2026,** treat this as a full re-shop year: confirm your doctors are in your new plan's network. 4. **Need help?** Call GetCoveredTenn at **1-866-475-7879** or HealthCare.gov at **1-800-318-2596**. If your income is low, [check TennCare first](https://www.tnhealthcoverageexplained.org/tenncare) — it accepts applications year-round. --- ## FAQ **When is open enrollment for 2027 coverage in Nashville?** The same as everywhere in Tennessee: November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027, on HealthCare.gov. Enroll by December 15, 2026 for coverage starting January 1, 2027. See our [open enrollment guide](https://www.tnhealthcoverageexplained.org/enrollment-calendar/open-enrollment). **I had a Cigna marketplace plan in 2026. What do I do?** Pick a new plan during open enrollment — Cigna leaves the Tennessee marketplace on December 31, 2026, so there is no Cigna plan to renew into. Shop the five remaining insurers, and re-check your doctors and prescriptions against any new plan's network. **Which insurers sell marketplace plans in my county?** Enter your ZIP code in HealthCare.gov's plan comparison tool. We publish the verified statewide 2027 list (BCBST, Celtic/Ambetter, Oscar, UnitedHealthcare, Alliant) but not per-county assignments, because the state's published map still reflects 2026 and per-area 2027 availability isn't confirmed yet. **Do plans cost the same in Nashville as in the rest of Tennessee?** Not necessarily. Insurers file rates per rating area, so prices — and plan menus — vary by county. We don't publish standing premium prices; check HealthCare.gov for your actual rates. **I'm moving to (or within) the Nashville area. Can I change plans?** Moving to a new coverage area is a standard qualifying life event that triggers a special enrollment period — usually 60 days around the move. See our [special enrollment guide](https://www.tnhealthcoverageexplained.org/enrollment-calendar/special-enrollment). **I can't afford marketplace premiums. What are my options?** Check whether your income qualifies you for premium tax credits (100%–400% of the federal poverty level — roughly $15,960–$63,840 a year for a single person, $33,000–$132,000 for a family of four). If your income is low, [TennCare](https://www.tnhealthcoverageexplained.org/tenncare) accepts applications year-round, and children may qualify for CoverKids. One hard truth about Tennessee: the state has not expanded Medicaid, so most childless adults don't qualify for TennCare at any income, and households below 100% of poverty don't get marketplace subsidies. **I'm 65 or close to it. Where do I get help?** Call TN SHIP at 1-877-801-0044 for free, unbiased Medicare counseling. Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 – December 7, 2026 for 2027 coverage. [Medicare in Tennessee →](https://www.tnhealthcoverageexplained.org/medicare-in-tennessee) --- ## Sources - HealthCare.gov — Tennessee marketplace enrollment; 1-800-318-2596 - Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services — 2027 plan-year parameters and public confirmation of the November 1 – January 15, 2027 schedule - Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance — Tennessee's 8 rating areas and carrier information (note: published carrier-by-area map reflects the 2026 plan year) - Tennessee SERFF rate filings via acasignups.net — 2027 statewide carrier list and final approved rate changes (~15.6–15.9% statewide weighted average) - healthinsurance.org — Cigna's Tennessee individual-market exit - GetCoveredTenn — Tennessee Navigator program, 1-866-475-7879 - TennCare / tn.gov — TennCare eligibility reference guide; TennCare Connect (year-round applications) - TN Commission on Aging and Disability — TN SHIP, 1-877-801-0044