Find a plan.

Availability of short-term health insurance in Tennessee

Tennessee follows federal regulations regarding temporary health insurance, limiting initial durations to 364 days

In Tennessee, federal regulations regarding short-term health insurance apply, which means consumers can buy short-term health insurance plans – and can get policies with initial terms up to 364 days with the option to renew for a total duration up to 36 months.

As of 2023, there were at least eight insurers selling short-term health insurance plans in Tennessee.

Frequently asked questions about
short-term health insurance in Tennessee

Yes. As of 2023, there were at least eight insurers offering short-term health insurance in Tennessee.

The average monthly premium for a short-term health insurance plan sold in Tennessee was $177.90 in 2022, according to data from IHC Specialty Benefits.

Tennessee does not limit the duration of short-term health insurance plans, so the state defaults to the federal rules. The Trump administration finalized regulations in 2018  that allow short-term medical plans to have initial terms of up to 364 days, and total duration, including renewals, of up to 36 months.

But insurers can impose shorter maximum terms and can opt not to allow renewals. Some of the insurers that offer short-term health insurance in Tennessee allow consumers to buy up to 36 months of coverage, while others cap their plans at six months.

As of 2023, there were at least eight insurers offering and/or approved to offer short-term health insurance in Tennessee:

  • Allstate Health Solutions (National General)
  • Companion Life Insurance Company
  • Everest Reinsurance
  • The North River Insurance Company
  • Pan-American Life Insurance Company
  • Standard Life/American National
  • UnitedHealthcare/Golden Rule
  • United States Fire Insurance Company

If you’re in need of health insurance coverage in Tennessee outside of the annual open enrollment period for ACA-compliant major medical plans (November 1 to January 15), your first step should be to see whether you’re eligible for a special enrollment period that would allow you to enroll in an ACA-compliance plan.

There are a variety of qualifying life events that will trigger a special enrollment period and allow you to buy a plan through the health insurance exchange in Tennessee. These plans are purchased on a month-to-month basis, so you can enroll in one (with a premium subsidy if you’re eligible) even if you’re only going to need it for a few months before another policy takes effect.

The annual open enrollment period for ACA-compliant major medical plans runs from November 1 through January 15. And it’s important to understand that financial assistance through the Tennessee health insurance exchange is larger and more widely available than it used to be, thanks to the American Rescue Plan (this will be the case through the end of 2025, and possibly beyond that if Congress issues another extension of the American Rescue Plan’s subsidy enhancements).

Short-term health insurance plans can be purchased in Tennessee by applicants who meet the underwriting guidelines the insurers use. In general, this means being under 65 years old (some insurers put the age limit at 64 years) and in fairly good health.

Short-term health medical insurance plans typically include blanket exclusions for pre-existing conditions, so they are not adequate or affordable (due to the cost of monthly premiums and other out-of-pocket costs) for someone in the Volunteer State who is in need of ongoing medical care.

Before you sign up for a short-term plan, make sure you understand the specific healthcare benefits the plan will provide. For example, most short-term health insurance plans do not cover outpatient prescription drugs. Some do include prescriptions in their covered benefits, but you’ll want to make sure that you’re not mistaking a prescription discount plan for real prescription benefits.

You’ll also want to understand whether the plan imposes specific dollar limitations on healthcare services such as inpatient hospital stays, surgery, etc. (in addition to the plan’s overall benefit maximum).

From Knoxville to Memphis, there are times when short-term health insurance might be the only option available, such as:

People who are ineligible for premium subsidies include:

Insurers that offer short-term plans in Tennessee are required to file the rates and plans with the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, and there are specific state rules that apply to rate and form filing in Tennessee for plans that aren’t subject to ACA (Obamacare) regulations (including short-term health plans).

Several sections of Tennessee insurance statute Title 56) apply to short-term plans sold in the state, including

Until mid-2019, Julie Mix McPeak served as the insurance commissioner for Tennessee. McPeak was also the president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) when the NAIC submitted a letter to HHS that was generally supportive of the then-proposed rule change to expand access to short-term health insurance plans. In particular, the NAIC supported the provision to allow short-term plans to have initial terms of up to 364 days, instead of the three-month limit that was imposed under a regulation finalized by the Obama administration in 2016.

McPeak expressed support for the expansion of short-term plans, while also noting how important it is for consumers to understand the benefits covered by the plan they are considering and how short-term healthcare insurance plans differ from ACA-compliant plans.

It’s noteworthy that Northeastern Tennessee’s Tri-Cities has the highest rate of pre-existing conditions in the United States: 41% of adults in the area have health conditions that would have prevented them from buying individual-market health insurance prior to 2014 (when the ACA reformed that market and banned medical underwriting). But short-term health insurance plans still use medical underwriting, and the policies generally do not cover pre-existing conditions. Excluding coverage for pre-existing conditions can make a short-term policy appear more affordable than an ACA-compliant or Obamacare policy.

Not sure if short-term health insurance is right for you? Explore other health insurance options in Tennessee.

Individual and Family
Medicaid
Medicare
Dental

The American Rescue Plan's premium-cutting subsidies

Find out how the American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act have enhanced marketplace subsidies and made health insurance more affordable for millions of Americans. Learn about $0 premium plans. Enroll during open enrollment (November 1 to January 15 in Tennessee) or during a special enrollment period if you experience a qualifying life event.

Calculate your subsidy savings!

Medicaid in Tennessee

Tennessee has not implemented expanded Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act, which means that there are an estimated 118,000 residents in the coverage gap — ineligible for Medicaid and also ineligible for premium subsidies in the exchange. Learn more about Medicaid expansion efforts in Tennessee.

See if you're eligible.
Medicaid

Medicare enrollment in Tennessee

More than 1.4 million Tennesseans have Medicare coverage, amounting to more than 20% of the state’s total population. Learn about Medicare coverage options in Tennessee.

Compare plans!
Medicare

Flexible dental benefits. Fast approval.

Protect yourself from the soaring costs of dental procedures. Compare plan options to see premiums and deductibles that fit your budget.

Compare dental plans.
Dental