Many Tennesseans will pay more for health insurance in 2027, with insurers seeking premium increases ranging from about 4% to nearly 40% for Marketplace plans and higher costs expected for many employer-sponsored policies as well.
The price hikes come on the heels of last year's increases, which were the steepest in 15 years.
Providers cited the increasing cost of health care when requesting higher rates, as they did in 2025. Those proposed rates were reviewed by the state and must be approved by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
It's going to be "another hard year" of rising costs for people trying to find affordable plans that fit their needs, said Leigh Carl, agency manager at UnitedHealthcare's agency manager of the east
region, which includes Tennessee.
Employer-sponsored, Marketplace insurance costs jumping
The majority of Tennesseans are covered on employer-sponsored group plans at small and large companies and also will pay more for healthcare coverage in 2027.
Adults who aren't covered by Medicare or Medicaid and who don't have work-sponsored coverage can apply for health insurance on Marketplace. Individual and family plans also are expected to increase significantly.
Depending on household income, some residents will qualify for federal subsidies such as premium tax credits to lower monthly payments as well as reduced out-of-pocket costs like deductibles, copayments and coinsurance.
Eligible Marketplace consumers may qualify for premium tax credits that lower monthly premiums, as well as additional savings on out-of-pocket costs like deductibles, copayments and coinsurance. Children may be eligible for Medicaid or CHIP coverage even if their parents are not eligible for Medicaid.
The state's top five insurance carriers offering Marketplace plans, created through the Affordable Care Act, announced estimated increases during a recent meeting with the navigators who help guide residents in selecting a plan. Those providers include Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee, Alliant Health Plans, Oscar Insurance, Ambetter health plans, and United Healthcare Insurance. Cigna Health and Life Insurance was among the top carriers but is no longer offering health plans.
Notices from providers should arrive in mailboxes or inboxes this week reminding customers that Marketplace open enrollment starts on Nov. 1 and must be completed by Dec. 15 to avoid any lapse in coverage starting January 1. Anyone enrolling after that has a deadline of Jan. 15 and won't be covered until Feb. 1.
How much will Marketplace health plans increase in 2027?
UnitedHealthcare health insurance rate increases in the Volunteer State should land in the 15-20% range, Carl said during a recent meeting at the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance.
Some of UnitedHealthcare's individual plans will increase between 25.6% to 39%, according to CMS data.
"You are such a blessing in disguise," she said to a room of several insurance navigators who offer free assistance in English, Spanish and other languages to residents trying to decipher the plan that best fits their budget and needs.
She and others touted virtual services, including a conversational AI companion named Avery. Carl also said United is offering vision plans and new enhanced dental plans, including coverage for kids.
Oscar Health insurance rate increases range from just over 11% to more than 25%.
Oscar offers new plans that include dental and vision and a condition-based portfolio. It offers special benefits including menopause support as well as preventive care and treatment of diabetes, asthma, COPD and other chronic illnesses.
Alliant Health Plans' Wallace Foster, an account executive over individual and family plans, said health insurance increases natiowide are expected to average 17% to 22%, and Alliant is "competitive with the national average."
Its rate changes for individual plans in Tennessee range from just over 16% to 27.5%, according to CMS data.
Alliant, which started 30 years ago in Georgia and later expanded to Tennessee, focuses on personalized customer service, he said.
"It's very easy to reach a live person," Foster said.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee rate increases average 10.5%, said John Hawbaker, a BCBSTN spokesman.
Some individual plans will cost less and others can include rate increases as high as 23.4%, according to CMS data.
Its representatives announced an offering of 14 plans, including a new gold plan. However, they are no longer offering any pediatric dental plans.
Celtic Insurance Company, known as Ambetter health plans, is expected to increase rates by 9.45% to 14.57%, according to healthcare.gov. Company officials said its members can seek care in Tennessee or from an in-network provider in any of the other 27 states it covers, except for California or New York.
What will happen to former Cigna customers as it leaves Marketplace?
One of the state's previous top providers, Cigna Health and Life Insurance, is no longer offering Marketplace health insurance. Its current members should have received notification from Cigna and CMS. CMS officials divided up those members and are rolling them into other provider plans. Those providers, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, should have mailed out notices or welcome packets, to those customers by the end of the week.
This is to prevent a lapse in coverage in case someone didn't receive the notices and didn't take action.
All of the Cigna customers have freedom of choice and can select another plan by Dec. 15 to switch to that provider with coverage beginning Jan. 1.
Federal assistance can keep kids covered
Even if parents don't qualify for TennCare, Tennessee's Medicaid program, they can seek help to keep their children insured.
The Children's Health Insurance Program, a federally sponsored program known as CHIP, offers health insurance to uninsured children across the U.S. In Tennessee, it's called CoverKids.
Pregnant women who are uninsured and don't qualify for TennCare also can apply. The program covers prenatal, delivery and 60 days of postpartum care.
The program offers pregnant women and children free preventive health care and low co-pays for sick visits and medication.
Children age 18 and under also qualify for dental and vision benefits.
How steep are upcoming health insurance increases at small companies?
Plans offered through small businesses, which employ 50 or fewer workers, face estimated rate increases from 10% to nearly 17%, according to ratereview.healthcare.gov.
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee requested a rate increase of 10.55%.
UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company asked for 16.67% and UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company of the River Valley is seeking approval to increase rates by 16.85%, according to healthcare.gov.
Will workers at large companies pay more for health insurance?
Employees who sign up for health insurance at large companies also will face rate increases. The amount workers must pay will depend on several factors, including how much their company contributes to plans and how much of the increase companies choose to pass on to workers.
Do you qualify for premium tax credits?
The Internal Revenue Service offers information on who qualifies for premium tax creditson its website.
More help finding coverage and federal assistance
The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance's "Health Insurance 101" Webpage offers easy-to understand guidance on the complex health insurance market.
More information about the federallysubsidized coverage for kids, called CoverKidsin Tennessee, can be found on the state Division of TennCare website.
The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services offers tips on navigating Marketplace on www.healthcare.gov.
If you haven't received a reenrollment letter from your provider by the end of the week, contact your provider.
If you have not received a Marketplace enrollment letter, contact the government helpline at 800-318-2596.
How to find a health insurance navigator
GetCoveredTenn is a nonprofit offering guidance through navigators to Tennesseans searching for affordable health insurance on Marketplace. Information and appointments are available on its website, getcoveredtenn.org.
Beth Warren covers health care and can be reached at bwarren@tennessean.com or on X at @BethWarrenCJ.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Health insurance premiums jump across Tennessee for 2027
