Serving Tennessee

Health Insurance in Tennessee

Compare your Tennessee coverage options with a licensed advisor. Individual, family, self-employed, and small business plans, marketplace subsidies, and enrollment help, explained in plain language.

Licensed in Tennessee

Verifiable credentials, NPN 21610992.

Direct Advisor Access

Talk to a licensed advisor, not a call center.

Guidance Without Pressure

Understand your options at your own pace.

Licensed advisor helping a Tennessee client compare health insurance
How It Works Here

How Health Insurance Works in Tennessee

Tennessee residents have several coverage paths, from marketplace plans and subsidies to private options and employer coverage. Whether you are self-employed, raising a family, or running a small business, clear guidance on how coverage works in Tennessee is the first step toward a plan that fits.

Tennessee Marketplace

Tennessee uses the federal Health Insurance Marketplace at HealthCare.gov. Individual and family plans are compared and enrolled through the federal marketplace or directly with private carriers.

Subsidies & Tax Credits

Tennessee has not expanded Medicaid, so Medicaid eligibility is more limited here. That makes income-based marketplace subsidies (premium tax credits) especially important for keeping coverage affordable.

Open Enrollment

Open enrollment for Tennessee plans generally runs November 1 through January 15. Qualifying life events, like losing coverage, marriage, or a new baby, open a special 60-day window any time of year.

Licensed Guidance

Jordon Murphy Health is a licensed advisory firm serving Tennessee residents. We help you compare options, understand costs, and enroll with confidence, at no cost to you.

Tennessee Health Insurance Market

Tennessee's Medicaid Block Grant Made History — Then Quietly Unwound

Tennessee's 2021 Medicaid block grant made national headlines as the first deal of its kind, but the spending cap behind it was quietly removed in 2023, reverting the program to standard Medicaid financing rules. Tennessee still hasn't expanded Medicaid under the ACA, even though it now offers the highest parent income limit of any non-expansion state. For Tennesseans whose income falls between that limit and the poverty line, the federal marketplace remains the only path to coverage.

Nation's First Medicaid Block Grant

On January 8, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approved a landmark amendment to TennCare, Tennessee's Medicaid program. In the state's own announcement, Tennessee "became the first state granted approval for this type of block grant arrangement," trading a capped, more predictable federal funding formula for new administrative flexibility, under what became a 10-year waiver known as TennCare III. (Source: TennCare/tn.gov press release, Jan. 8, 2021)

The Cap Didn't Last

The block-grant financing didn't survive long. In August 2023, CMS approved a revised TennCare III that eliminated the aggregate spending cap entirely, replacing it with the standard budget-neutrality rules used for other states' Medicaid waivers. Georgetown University's Center for Children and Families, which tracks Section 1115 waiver filings, titled its own analysis of the change "The Biden Administration CMS Unwinds the Tennessee 'Block Grant.'" (Source: Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, Aug. 21, 2023)

Still No Medicaid Expansion

Despite overhauling its waiver's financing, Tennessee remains one of just ten states that has never adopted the ACA's Medicaid expansion. TennCare's own published eligibility categories cover children, pregnant women, parents or caretakers of a minor child, people receiving SSI, and people who are elderly or have a disability. There is no category for a non-disabled adult without dependent children, regardless of how low that person's income is. (Source: TennCare Medicaid eligibility page, tn.gov)

Highest Parent Limit, Still Short

Tennessee's Medicaid income limit for parents is 105% of the federal poverty level as of January 2026, the highest of any of the ten states that haven't expanded Medicaid, narrowly ahead of Georgia and Wisconsin (100% each) and far above Texas's 15%, the lowest in the country. But marketplace premium subsidies only begin at 100% FPL, so a parent's exact income still decides whether TennCare or the marketplace is the door that applies. (Source: KFF State Health Facts, Medicaid Income Eligibility Limits for Parents, data current to January 2026)

Who We Help in Tennessee

Coverage Guidance for Every Tennessee Situation

We serve Tennessee residents across Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Clarksville and statewide.

Common Questions

Tennessee Health Insurance FAQ

Tennessee never expanded Medicaid under the ACA. What does that mean if my income is low?

Tennessee is one of just ten states that has never adopted the ACA's Medicaid expansion. TennCare's own eligibility categories cover children, pregnant women, parents or caretakers of a minor child, people receiving SSI, and people who are elderly or have a disability, there is no category for a non-disabled adult without dependent children, regardless of income. If you don't fit one of those categories, the federal marketplace, not TennCare, is typically where you'll find coverage and possible subsidies. We check exactly where your income and household situation place you and walk you through the right path.

Where do I buy individual health insurance in Tennessee?

Tennessee uses the federal Health Insurance Marketplace at HealthCare.gov. Individual and family plans are compared and enrolled through the federal marketplace or directly with private carriers. We help you compare both marketplace and private options and choose the one that fits your doctors, prescriptions, and budget.

Can I get a subsidy on Tennessee health insurance?

Many residents qualify for income-based premium tax credits that lower monthly costs. Tennessee has not expanded Medicaid, so Medicaid eligibility is more limited here. That makes income-based marketplace subsidies (premium tax credits) especially important for keeping coverage affordable. We check whether you qualify and help you set an accurate income estimate.

When is open enrollment in Tennessee?

Open enrollment for Tennessee plans generally runs November 1 through January 15. Qualifying life events, like losing coverage, marriage, or a new baby, open a special 60-day window any time of year.

Do you help self-employed people and small businesses in Tennessee?

Yes. We work with Tennessee individuals, families, self-employed professionals, and small business owners across Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Clarksville and statewide, matching each situation to the right coverage.

Get Clearer Direction on Tennessee Coverage

Talk through your options with a licensed advisor who serves Tennessee. No cost, no pressure.