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Tennessee Health Insurance Companies
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Tennessee Health Insurance Resources
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How to Get the Most Savings
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Tennessee Health Insurance FAQS
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How to Enroll in Health Insurance in Tennessee
Tennessee Health Insurance Companies
The following are a few of the insurance companies currently offering health insurance in Tennessee:
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee
BCBS of Tennessee offers three plan levels: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Depending on your healthcare needs, you can select a lower-tier plan with lower monthly premiums and higher deductibles, or a Gold tier plan with higher premiums that covers more costs. There are several tiers available to help you balance costs with the medical care you require. You may be eligible for a tax credit to help pay for your healthcare, depending on your income level.
Celtic
Celtic’s area of expertise is individual health plans that are offered outside of the federal exchange. Plans from Celtic are created for individuals, families, and independent contractors.
Celtic plans have some of the most affordable monthly rates around, making them cost-effective. Celtic’s PPO plans have agreements with Preferred Provider Organizations, giving you access to a wide range of doctors and hospitals in their network. The Locate a doctor online resource center maintains current network listings, making finding a provider easy.
Health Insurance Marketplace in Tennessee
If you’re looking for health insurance in Tennessee, the health insurance Marketplace is a good place to start. Marketplace health insurance, which was created by the Affordable Care Act, offers certain consumer protections, guarantees coverage for pre-existing conditions, and includes coverage for what are known as the “10 essential health benefits”:
- Ambulatory patient services (outpatient care)
- Emergency services
- Hospitalization
- Pregnancy, maternity, and newborn care (both before and after birth)
- Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment (including counseling and psychotherapy)
- Prescription drugs
- Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices
- Laboratory services
- Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management
- Pediatric services, including oral and vision care (but adult dental and vision coverage aren’t essential health benefits)
The ACA-compliant plans offered on the Marketplace are divided into different types, known as metal tiers: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. These tiers do not signal a difference in quality of care, though. The tiers differ in your out-of-pocket costs versus what your plan covers.
It’s important to remember that the Marketplace only offers the plans of participating providers. So unfortunately, while the Marketplace is a great tool, you may not be able to compare every plan available to you.
Whether you want a Marketplace plan, or a plan from a private insurer, an EZ agent can help. We work with all carriers in your state in order to compare all options available.
Over half of the uninsured in Tennessee who qualify for Marketplace insurance coverage could get a Bronze plan for FREE.
Tennessee’s Short Term Health Insurance Guidelines
If you’ve missed the health insurance Open Enrollment Period (OEP), or if you need health insurance for a short amount of time, short-term plans are a great option. It’s important to note, though, that these policies tend to only cover the basics, and you can be denied one of these plans if you have a pre-existing condition.
There are some rules around short-term plans, both at the federal and the state level. Some states choose to have their own guidelines separate from federal guidelines, or to not offer short-term plans at all. Like many states, Tennessee follows the federal guidelines for their short-term plans, meaning you can purchase a plan for up to 364 days, and then renew it up to 3 times for a total of 36 months with the same plan. Once your plan has maxed out at 36 months, you are allowed to purchase a different policy.
Tennessee Health Insurance Resources
Comparing different health insurance plans can be challenging and time-consuming. However, there are a variety of resources available, and a lot of options when it comes to plan types.
One excellent resource is actually your employer; speak to them about whether they offer a group health insurance program, since these plans are generally less expensive than individual plans. While employers in Tennessee are not required to offer health insurance to employees, the majority of them do.
Other resources you can check are the healthcare-related websites run by the government. You could be eligible for government-sponsored programs that offer low or no-cost healthcare plans. Anyone who is 65 years of age or older, or who is between the ages of 18 and 65 and has a qualifying disability, is qualified for Medicare‘s low-cost insurance. Another government program is Medicaid, which is geared toward lower-income individuals and families. You can qualify for free coverage if your income meets the requirements.
The best resource available to you, though, is an insurance agent. EZ agents have the knowledge and training to evaluate all of your plan options. To make sure you have the coverage you want, your agent will compare plans while taking into account all of your financial and medical needs.
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How to Get the Most Savings
Tennessee is one of the states with the highest per capita health care spending. It is ranked 16th in the nation in terms of costs, with an annual average healthcare spending per capita of around $8,909. Thankfully, there are ways you can lower your health insurance costs without sacrificing coverage.
Your insurance premiums can be affected by your health, since insurance companies actually look at things like your body mass index (BMI) when determining your rates. A high percentage (36.5%) of Tennessee residents are obese, so if you’re among this group, you could end up paying more for your insurance. That means one way to save money is to maintain a healthy BMI.
Insurance companies will also consider you a higher risk to insure if you use tobacco products. The percentage of Tennesseans who smoke is also high at 19.5%, and if you’re one of them, insurance companies might raise your premiums by up to 50%! So quitting smoking will not only save you money on tobacco products and healthcare costs in general, but also on your health insurance.
The above are important to think about when it comes to saving money on your health insurance, but working with an agent is the quickest and easiest way. An EZ agent will compare all of the plans that fit your needs and budget available in your area, as well as find any local discounts you might not be aware of. The best part is that we can complete this task in a matter of minutes and there is no charge or obligation. Start saving right away – you don’t have to do this alone!
Tennessee Health Insurance FAQS
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Does Tennessee require you to have health insurance?
The Affordable Care Act requires all citizens to have health insurance coverage, but there is no longer a federal tax penalty for not having it. Some states have their own mandates, but Tennessee is not one of them, so you are not required to have coverage.
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What is the cheapest health insurance in Tennessee?
The cheapest health plan will be a Bronze plan, which can start as low as $362 a month. Remember, though, health insurance plan prices can vary depending on age, zip code, gender, and other factors. More than half of Tennessee residents who qualify for a marketplace plan can actually get a Bronze plan for free.
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How much does health insurance cost in Tennessee?
The average monthly premium for health insurance in Tennessee is $445, or $5,340 per year, with plans as low as $362 a month to as high as $1,327. But do not let these numbers scare you. More than half of uninsured people in Tennessee qualify for a $0 Bronze plan and don’t even know it.
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Which companies offer health insurance in Tennessee?
The top 6 insurers in the state are Blue Cross Blue Shield, Bright Health, Celtic/Ambetter Insurance, Cigna, Oscar Health, and UnitedHealthcare.
How to Enroll in Health Insurance in Tennessee
In Tennessee, there are various options for signing up for a health insurance plan. Utilizing the federal Health Insurance Marketplace is one option. You can use this tool to compare the plans offered by companies that take part in the state exchange. In addition, you can enroll directly through the carrier of your choice’s website.
Another option is to enroll through your workplace, if your employer offers a group plan. You can speak to your HR department about the enrollment process.
Whether you want to enroll through the exchange, directly through an insurance company, or through your employer, an EZ agent can help you! To ensure you’re selecting the best option, our agent can help you compare plans, and then walk you through the enrollment process. We can answer your questions and identify any discounts or programs that you are eligible for. Health insurance enrollment can be difficult; let an EZ representative ease your concerns and assist you in finding the best plan.
If you still have questions, feel free to give us a call at 877-670-3557. When you call, you will be directly connected to a local insurance agent who can answer all of your questions and help you find the health insurance plan that works best for you.
