Tennessee absorbed one of the largest rate increases in the country for 2026 — 37.5% — in a state that never expanded Medicaid.
| Rate change | 2026: +37.5% approved · 2027 filings not yet published |
|---|---|
| Where you enroll | healthcare.gov |
| Medicaid | Not expanded — coverage gap under 100% FPL |
| Open enrollment | Opens November 1; enroll by December 15 for January 1 |
| Subsidy cliff | $63,840 single · $132,000 for four |
Rate figures are approved 2026 plan year changes unless marked proposed. Proposed 2027 rates are carrier filings still under regulatory review — most states finalise in September and October, and approved rates routinely differ from filings. Ask me to confirm the current position for your county before you decide anything on these.
Rates in Tennessee rose 37.5% before subsidies for 2026 — well above the national average of about 20%, and among the steepest increases of any state.
That happened for the same reason it happened everywhere, only harder: the enhanced federal premium tax credits expired on January 1, 2026, and carriers were already filing large increases for underlying medical costs. Tennessee got both at full strength.
Tennessee also enrolls through healthcare.gov rather than running its own marketplace. Across the country, states on the federal platform saw benchmark premiums rise roughly 30% against about 17% in states operating their own exchanges. Tennessee landed well above even that federal average.
Adults below 100% of the federal poverty level generally can't receive Marketplace subsidies and don't qualify for TennCare either. That's the coverage gap, and it's the first thing worth checking if your income is low — because the answer determines everything that follows.
Above that line, subsidies scale with income up to the cliff, and Tennessee's steep rate increase makes the value of a subsidy larger here than in most states.
Premium tax credits end completely above $63,840 for one person and $132,000 for a household of four in 2027. Not reduced — eliminated. A Tennessee household at $63,841 pays the same unsubsidized premium as one at $300,000, on rates that just rose 37.5%.
That combination is why so many self-employed Tennesseans went shopping this year for the first time in a decade. If you're near that line, knowing exactly where you stand is worth more than any plan comparison.
About non-Marketplace coverage. Any non-Marketplace plan I price alongside your Marketplace options is medically underwritten — the application asks about your health history, and coverage can be declined, limited, or priced based on what it says. These plans are not ACA-compliant: pre-existing conditions may be excluded, and the essential health benefits guaranteed on every Marketplace plan are not automatic. If anyone in the household is managing a condition, an ACA plan’s guaranteed coverage is usually worth the premium difference, and I’ll tell you so even though it’s the less profitable answer for me.
Nothing. Brokers are paid a commission by the carrier, and it's built into the premium whether you use one or not — enroll direct and the carrier simply keeps it. The plan price is identical either way. There's a fuller explanation, along with my NPN, on the licensing page.
Tennessee rates rose 37.5% before subsidies for 2026, among the largest increases in the country and well above the national average of about 20%. The expiration of enhanced federal premium tax credits on January 1, 2026 meant many enrollees saw a much larger increase in what they actually pay.
Yes. Tennessee has not expanded Medicaid, so adults under 100% of the federal poverty level generally cannot receive Marketplace premium tax credits and do not qualify for TennCare. This leaves a coverage gap that affects hundreds of thousands of residents.
Tennessee uses the federal marketplace at healthcare.gov rather than operating its own state exchange. Federal enrollment dates and deadlines apply.
My National Producer Number is 21388659. You can confirm it through the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance or the National Insurance Producer Registry. I'd encourage it — you should never take a broker's word for their own credentials.
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