TennCare (Medicaid) & CoverKids (CHIP)
Last updated August 2026
TennCare is Tennessee's Medicaid. CoverKids is its health plan for kids whose parents earn too much for TennCare. Apply once at tenncareconnect.tn.gov, and the state checks everyone in your home against every path. The form takes 30 to 60 minutes. An online answer can come the same day.
Know who qualifies, because Tennessee did not expand Medicaid. Most adults without kids cannot get TennCare on income alone. The covered groups: children, pregnant women, very-low-income parents, and people on SSI. A working parent is often over the adult limit while the kids still qualify. So never skip applying for the children.
The kids' door is wide. CoverKids reaches 250 percent of the poverty line. That is $82,500 a year for a family of four. Babies under 1 are covered at even higher incomes. A newborn whose mother had TennCare is covered for a full year, automatically.
Two doors people miss. Pregnant? A local health department can turn on temporary TennCare the same day, while your full application processes. Raising a disabled child but earn too much? The Katie Beckett program exists for exactly that. Ask for it by name in TennCare Connect.
Once you are in, renewal is where people lose coverage. TennCare tries to renew you automatically first. If it cannot, a packet comes in the mail. You have 40 days from getting it to answer. Miss it and coverage ends, even if you still qualify. After that you get 90 days to ask for another look.
Phone 1-855-259-0701
Help available in English and Spanish.
Updated August 2026 Program details can change — confirm with the program directly.
Who qualifies
- Tennessee residents who fit a covered group and meet the income rules: children, pregnant women, low-income parents and caretaker relatives, adults 65 and older, and people who are blind or have a disability
- Tennessee has not expanded Medicaid, so most low-income adults without children or a disability do not qualify; children who earn too much for TennCare may still get CoverKids, so apply even if you were denied before
You may qualify. The program makes the final decision.
How to apply
- 1
Apply at tenncareconnect.tn.gov, or call 855-259-0701 to apply by phone. Paper and fax work too. Any county DHS office can help in person.
- 2
Have Social Security numbers, birth dates, income, and any insurance info for everyone applying. Expect 30 to 60 minutes.
- 3
Pregnant? Ask your county health department about temporary TennCare today. Do not wait on the full decision.
- 4
Apply for the kids even if you were denied. CoverKids reaches much higher incomes than adult TennCare.
- 5
Watch for the decision. Online answers can be instant. Otherwise the state has up to 45 days.
- 6
At renewal time, open every letter. If a packet comes, answer within 40 days or coverage stops.
What to have ready
- Social Security numbers and birth dates for everyone applying
- Income amounts from jobs and other sources
- Citizenship or immigration status, and any current insurance
- TennCare Connect tells you if it needs any documents uploaded.
What the application looks like
Common questions
Who qualifies for TennCare?
Children, pregnant women, very-low-income parents, people on SSI, and certain others. Tennessee did not expand Medicaid. So most adults without kids or a disability do not qualify on income alone.
What is the income limit for CoverKids?
250 percent of the poverty level. That is about $54,100 a year for a family of two, $82,500 for four. CoverKids must be the child's only health plan.
How long does a TennCare decision take?
An online answer at tenncareconnect.tn.gov can come the same day. Otherwise up to 45 days, or 90 for long-term care.
I'm pregnant with no insurance. What do I do today?
Go to your county health department and ask about temporary TennCare for pregnancy. It can start coverage right away while your full application is processed.
My child has a disability but we earn too much. Any options?
Yes: the Katie Beckett program, built for exactly this. Part A gives full TennCare. Part B gives up to $10,000 a year in services. Ask for it through TennCare Connect.
What if TennCare denies or drops me?
Appeal. Call 855-259-0701 or use TennCare Connect. After a coverage loss you also get a 90-day window to be looked at again, no new application needed.
Not sure this is the right program for your situation?
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