Medicare in Tennessee serves about 1.5 million beneficiaries, with 51% enrolled in Medicare Advantage and the remainder on Original Medicare + Medigap. Average Medigap Plan G premium for a new 65-year-old enrollee: $128/mo. Stand-alone Part D plans average $43/mo.
Medicare Beneficiaries
1.5 million
Age 65+ and disabled
MA Enrollment
51%
% on Medicare Advantage
Avg Medigap Plan G
$128/mo
New enrollee, age 65
| Topic | Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Medicare Advantage plans available (2026) | 132 plans | Statewide total — fewer available in your county (CMS) |
| Average MA premium (2026) | $12.83/mo | was $16.89/mo in 2025 (CMS) |
| $0-premium MA plans | Available | 100% of beneficiaries have $0-plan access (CMS) |
| Stand-alone Part D plans (2026) | 12 plans, lowest $0/mo | Adds drug coverage to Original Medicare (CMS) |
| Top MA carriers | UnitedHealthcare, Humana, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee | Networks differ by county |
| Annual guaranteed-issue Medigap switching | No (one-time 6-month window at 65) | No state annual GI rights; Tennessee has one of the highest per-capita numbers of Medicare beneficiaries given retirement in-migration to Music City and East TN mountains. |
MA plan counts, average premiums, and $0-premium availability are CMS 2026 figures (state fact sheet); Medigap and top-carrier details are editorial estimates. The 2026 Part B premium is $202.90/month, Part B deductible $283, Part D out-of-pocket cap $2,100. Verify plans at medicare.gov.
Tennessee hosts one of the most remarkable healthcare industry concentrations in the world — Nashville is the headquarters of Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), Community Health Systems, Ardent Health, and dozens of healthcare-focused companies. Despite this corporate concentration in Nashville, it does not directly reduce Medicare Advantage premiums, but it does mean beneficiaries have access to exceptional hospital quality. HCA's TriStar Health network and Vanderbilt University Medical Center anchor the Nashville MA market. In Memphis, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare and Baptist Memorial Health Care serve the western Tennessee market. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (BCBST) is the largest insurer statewide.
Tennessee's popular retiree communities — particularly around the Great Smoky Mountains (Maryville, Sevierville, Gatlinburg area), Chattanooga's Lookout Mountain region, and the Tennessee River communities in the east — attract significant in-migration of Medicare-age retirees. Medigap Plan G in Tennessee is very affordable at approximately $128/month. MA enrollment is above the national average at about 51%, driven by competitive $0-premium plans in metro markets. Appalachian eastern Tennessee and rural west Tennessee have more limited MA network adequacy. Tennessee has no birthday rule or annual Medigap switching protections.
In Tennessee, traditional Medicare combined with a Medigap supplement (typically Plan G or N) plus a stand-alone Part D plan provides nationwide access with predictable costs. Plan G covers everything except the $283 Part B deductible.
Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans bundle Medicare Parts A, B, and usually D into one private plan, often with $0 premium beyond Part B. Trade-offs include network restrictions and prior authorization. 51% of Tennessee beneficiaries currently choose MA.
No state annual GI rights; Tennessee has one of the highest per-capita numbers of Medicare beneficiaries given retirement in-migration to Music City and East TN mountains.
Tennessee Pro Tip
Tennessee beneficiaries in Nashville and Memphis typically have access to 55 or more Medicare Advantage plans. Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Johnson City generally offer 30 to 45 options. Appalachian east Tennessee rural counties may have 15 to 25 plans, with HMO network adequacy varying by community.
The average Medigap Plan G premium for a 65-year-old in Tennessee is approximately $128 per month — one of the more affordable rates in the South. BCBST, Cigna, Mutual of Omaha, and Aetna all offer Plan G options, and comparing quotes is worthwhile given meaningful premium differences between carriers.
Tennessee does not have a birthday rule or annual guaranteed-issue protections for Medigap. Outside your 6-month initial open enrollment at 65 or qualifying federal events, carriers can apply medical underwriting. The Tennessee SHIP program (known as TN SHIP) offers free counseling to help beneficiaries navigate their options.
Medicare Advantage plan counts, average premiums, and $0-premium availability are from CMS — 2026 Medicare Advantage & Part D State-by-State Fact Sheet (August 2026), cross-checked against KFF. Medigap Plan G and Part D averages are editorial estimates. See the full Tennessee Medicare plan landscape at /tools/medicare-plan-landscape/tennessee. Verify current plan costs at medicare.gov before enrolling.
Jennifer Walsh
Editorial Lead, Health & Medicare
This article was researched and written by the Cover Forge USA editorial team against federal sources (NAIC, CMS, FEMA, DOL, SSA, state DOIs) and standard policy forms. Bylines organize content by topic — they do not assert individual licensure. See our editorial-policy for details.
Reviewed August 2026
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