Tennessee open enrollment 2027 Open enrollment · Tennessee

Tennessee Open Enrollment 2027 for Small Business Owners

Last updated November 3, 2026 · By Frank Caballero, licensed health insurance broker

Short answer

For small business owners in Tennessee, open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov, and December 15 is the date to choose by for a January 1 start. Your own coverage can also come from a private, medically underwritten plan, which does not wait for the window: if approved, it can start the first of any month.

What 2027 looks like for you

Tennessee's average 2027 rate change is 12.7% to 15.6% (finalized). One insurer is leaving Tennessee's individual market, so some renewals arrive as a plan you did not pick. The details are on the Tennessee 2027 premium increase page.

Group plans can renew at any point in the year, so open enrollment matters to owners for two reasons: an individual coverage HRA, or ICHRA, reimburses employees for individual plans they choose, and most of that shopping happens in this window; and an owner covering only the household buys in the individual market too. For your own household, the 2027 subsidy line is $63,840 for one person, $86,560 for two and $132,000 for four.

Tennessee this year

Tennessee's markets sit near each other this year. Group plans for small employers average about 14.7 percent, and finalized individual increases fall between about 12.7 and 15.6 percent, depending on the tracker. Six insurers filed individual plans on HealthCare.gov, and one is leaving, so some individual buyers must choose again. Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville and Chattanooga each have distinct hospital systems, which means an ICHRA works differently for a Nashville music production company than for a Memphis logistics firm or a Pigeon Forge tourism business. With prices this close, network fit and what employees want may outweigh the premium itself.

Small-group plans in Tennessee average about 14.7% for 2027, against 12.7% to 15.6% for individual plans, so put this year's group renewal next to an ICHRA quote before you sign it.

One thing to do before you choose

List the hospital system each employee relies on, then compare your group network with individual plans in their counties on HealthCare.gov. Clarksville and Knoxville staff may see other lineups than Nashville workers. If an employee's family has coverage with the exiting insurer, remind them that an automatic replacement plan may use a different network and should be checked before mid-January.

Your checklist

Your 2027 group renewal letter and its effective date
How many employees you have and where they live
A fixed monthly ICHRA budget you could offer
Your own household's coverage, priced separately

Private plan or Marketplace?

Private plan

For the owner's own household when everyone is healthy: priced on age, ZIP code and health. Approval depends on health answers; not an ACA Marketplace plan.

Marketplace

For employees on an ICHRA, or an owner with ongoing care: HealthCare.gov accepts everyone during open enrollment.

Compare Tennessee plans this open enrollment

Private plans priced first, the Marketplace alongside when it fits. Phone or video, English or Spanish, no fee.

Get a quote Book a call (786) 218-2384

About your broker

Frank Caballero (NPN 21032307), licensed in 31 states including Tennessee. Phone or video, English or Spanish, no fee; independent, not HealthCare.gov or any government agency.

Questions

When is the 2027 open enrollment deadline in Tennessee?

January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov. Choose by December 15, 2026 for coverage that starts January 1; plans picked after that start February 1.

What happens to group coverage when someone leaves my Tennessee shop?

Tennessee restored a shorter continuation law in 2026. Insured group plans must let a departing employee continue for the remainder of that month plus three more, once they have three months enrolled, at the full group premium. That goes fast, so departing staff should compare Marketplace or private options right away.

Can I get a private plan in Tennessee after open enrollment closes?

Yes. You can apply in any month and, if approved, a private plan can start the first of a month; the insurer can decline based on health answers.

More for Tennessee

Official sources: HealthCare.gov, the federal Marketplace; HealthCare.gov: special enrollment periods. FC Insurance Solutions is an independent, licensed brokerage and is not affiliated with any government agency.

Written by Frank Caballero, licensed health insurance broker in Tennessee and 30 other states, NPN 21032307. Last updated November 3, 2026.