Short answer: private health insurance in Tennessee comes in two forms. The marketplace plans are themselves sold by private companies: six insurers file plans on HealthCare.gov for 2026, led by Ambetter of Tennessee in all 95 counties. They come with tax credits and no health questions. Medically underwritten plans are the other form: they ask about your health, can decline you and get no credit, but a healthy buyer can often pay less, and one can start in any month. (Reviewed by Daniel Griffin, licensed independent advisor, NPN #22052447.)
Who Sells Marketplace Plans in Tennessee
| Insurer (2026) | Counties where it sells |
|---|---|
| Ambetter of Tennessee | All 95 |
| BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee | All 95 |
| UnitedHealthcare | All 95 |
| Cigna Healthcare | 65 of 95 |
| Oscar | 46 of 95 |
| Alliant Health Plans | 11 of 95 |
From the CMS Plan Year 2026 landscape file. Every Tennessee county has at least three marketplace insurers in 2026. Insurers filing under more than one company name are counted once here.
What Tennessee Plans Cost Before a Tax Credit
The average benchmark Silver premium for a 40-year-old in Tennessee was $711 a month in 2026, before any tax credit (KFF). County by county, that benchmark ran from $654 in Fayette County and 4 others to $794 in Cannon County and 13 others. The cheapest Silver plan anywhere in Tennessee cost $530 at age 27, $646 at 40 and $1,372 at 60; the priciest Silver plan for a 40-year-old cost $1,001.
Who Should Look Beyond the Tennessee Marketplace
For 2027 coverage the tax credit stops at $63,840 for one person and $132,000 for a family of four. At Tennessee’s 2026 benchmark, a single 40-year-old just over that line pays $8,532 a year, about 13% of income, before the 2027 increase. That is where a healthy household can save with a medically underwritten plan, which is priced on health, not income. It is not ACA coverage: it can decline you and usually excludes pre-existing conditions and maternity care. Leaving a job? See COBRA alternatives.
Networks: What to Check in Tennessee
No 2026 marketplace plan in Tennessee is a PPO; the choice is EPO plans. Outside an emergency most of them pay nothing out of network, so check your doctors in the specific plan’s network.
Healthy, in Tennessee, and paying full price?
Send your ZIP code. A licensed agent checks your tax credit first, then compares your best marketplace plan with the private options for your county.
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2027 in Tennessee
Tennessee’s approved 2027 rates are an average 15.6% higher than 2026 (enrollment-weighted, reported Sep 28, 2026). Cigna leaves Tennessee’s marketplace after 2026; anyone on its plans needs a new one for January. Open Enrollment on HealthCare.gov runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027; choose by December 15 for coverage that starts January 1. Medically underwritten plans are not tied to that calendar. health insurance in Tennessee · Tennessee plans compared.
Checking an Agent or a Plan in Tennessee
The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance licenses agents and insurers in Tennessee: look up anyone selling you a plan, and get the insurer’s name and the list of what is not covered before you pay.
Common Questions
What is private health insurance in Tennessee?
Two things. 6 private insurers sell Tennessee marketplace plans on HealthCare.gov for 2026, with tax credits and no health questions; Ambetter of Tennessee sells in every county. Medically underwritten plans ask health questions, can decline you, get no tax credit and can start in any month.
Who should buy a medically underwritten plan in Tennessee?
A healthy household that gets little or no tax credit: for 2027 coverage there is none above $63,840 for one person or $132,000 for a family of four. Anyone with a real health history, or planning a pregnancy, is usually better protected on the marketplace.
Are there PPO plans on the Tennessee marketplace?
No. Every 2026 marketplace plan in Tennessee is an EPO plan, so check your doctors in the specific plan’s network.
Which insurers are leaving Tennessee’s marketplace for 2027?
Cigna leaves Tennessee’s marketplace after 2026; anyone on its plans needs a new one for January.
Sources
- KFF benchmark premiums, Tennessee, 2026.
- CMS plan landscape file, Tennessee, 2026.
- Tennessee 2027 rates and exits (Plans By State, from regulators and ACASignups.net).
- HealthCare.gov: tax credit income limits.
- Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance.
Full-price filed rates before tax credits, not quotes. Underwritten plans are not sold in every state and acceptance depends on health history.