--- title: Rating Area 1 — Northeast Tennessee (Tri-Cities): Your Marketplace Guide for 2027 url: https://www.tnhealthcoverageexplained.org/rating-area-1 description: Explore Tennessee's Rating Area 1: Johnson City, Kingsport & Bristol counties covered, open enrollment dates, and where to compare 2027 marketplace plans. last_verified: 2026-10-17 publisher: TN Health Coverage Explained (independent; does not sell insurance) --- # Rating Area 1 — Northeast Tennessee (Tri-Cities): Your Marketplace Guide for 2027 ## Which counties are in Rating Area 1? Your county decides your rating area. Tennessee has eight ACA rating areas — groups of counties that insurers use when they file plans and prices. If you live in one of these eight counties, you're in Rating Area 1: - Carter - Greene - Hancock - Hawkins - Johnson - Sullivan - Unicoi - Washington See the full county-by-county map at [Tennessee Counties & Rating Areas](https://www.tnhealthcoverageexplained.org/counties). What this means in plain language: insurers file their plans and prices **per rating area**. The menu of plans and the premiums you see are set for Area 1 as a whole — not for each county individually. Two people with the same income and household size can see different plan menus and prices simply because they live in different rating areas. ## ⚠️ Important: 2027 carrier availability per area is not yet confirmed Here's what we know and don't know yet: - Five insurers are approved to sell 2027 marketplace plans **somewhere** in Tennessee: BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Celtic/Ambetter, Oscar, UnitedHealthcare, and Alliant. (Cigna exits the Tennessee marketplace on December 31, 2026.) - **What we don't yet know:** exactly which of those five will sell in Rating Area 1. Per-area carrier lineups are being confirmed through HealthCare.gov window shopping, and this page will be updated when that's done. - **Do not assume** that any particular insurer is selling in your county until you've window-shopped your own ZIP code. The statewide approval is not the same thing as your area's lineup. ## Population centers and general market dynamics *(General dynamics — not carrier assignments. No insurer is listed here because per-area lineups are still being confirmed.)* The Tri-Cities area anchors on **Johnson City, Kingsport, and Bristol**. A few dynamics worth understanding: - **Choice follows population density.** Metro counties like Washington and Sullivan typically draw more insurers; rural counties like Hancock, Johnson, and Unicoi often have one or two. Fewer plans on the menu means each plan's network details matter more. - **Provider networks matter more outside the metros.** Before you enroll, verify that your doctors, your hospital, and your prescriptions are in-network for the specific plan you're considering — not just for the insurer generally. - **If your current insurer doesn't offer plans in your area in 2027**, you can still shop on HealthCare.gov during open enrollment (November 1, 2026 – January 15, 2027; December 15, 2026 is the deadline for coverage starting January 1, 2027). ## Local enrollment help - **GetCoveredTenn (Tennessee's Navigator program): 1-866-475-7879.** In-person help is available in 10 counties statewide; **none of the Rating Area 1 counties are among them**, so residents here get phone or virtual help. That help is still free, and still staffed by trained local Navigators. - **HealthCare.gov: 1-800-318-2596** — the federal marketplace Tennessee uses. ## FAQ ### Which insurers sell in Rating Area 1 for 2027? Statewide, five insurers are approved to sell in Tennessee in 2027: BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Celtic/Ambetter, Oscar, UnitedHealthcare, and Alliant. But approval isn't the same as availability in your area — per-area lineups are being confirmed through HealthCare.gov window shopping right now. Window-shop your own ZIP code to see exactly who's selling where you live, and check back here: this page will be updated when the Area 1 lineup is confirmed. ### Do prices differ from neighboring areas? Yes — they can. Insurers file prices per rating area, so identical plans in a neighboring area can cost more or less. Your subsidy amount also depends on your area's benchmark plan price. Always shop your own area; never assume a neighbor's price applies to you. ### I'm moving within Tennessee — what changes? A move is a qualifying life event that opens a 60-day special enrollment period — but your plan menu, prices, and subsidy all reset to your **new** rating area. Even a move from Knoxville to Johnson City changes your options. Shop your new ZIP code as soon as you have a move date, and confirm your providers are in-network under the new area's plans. ## Sources - CMS Geographic Rating Areas page - Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance - CMS Navigator award summaries ## Keep exploring - [Health Insurance by Region](https://www.tnhealthcoverageexplained.org/regions) — the regional hub - [Tennessee Counties & Rating Areas](https://www.tnhealthcoverageexplained.org/counties) — the full 95-county index - [The Marketplace](https://www.tnhealthcoverageexplained.org/marketplace) — how the marketplace works - [The Tennessee Enrollment Calendar](https://www.tnhealthcoverageexplained.org/enrollment-calendar) — key dates and deadlines