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COBRA in Tennessee

Tennessee’s continuation law is one of the shortest in the country, running about three months. It also contains something almost no other state has: a separate, much longer continuation right for anyone whose coverage ends during pregnancy.

Reviewed and updated 1 August 2026 against Tennessee and federal sources.

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Three Months, Plus the Rest of the Current One

Tennessee’s continuation right sits in section 56-7-2312 of the Tennessee Code. Where federal COBRA does not apply, the state entitles you to keep the group policy for the remainder of the policy month in which coverage ends, plus three further policy months.
Federal COBRATennessee continuation
Applies toEmployers with 20 or more employeesGroup policies issued in Tennessee providing hospital, surgical or major medical benefits
How long18 months, up to 36 for some eventsThe rest of the current policy month, plus three months
Prior coverage neededNoneThree months continuously insured immediately before termination
Why you leftAny reason except gross misconductAny reason, except where the group policy is discontinued altogether
How you payTo the plan administratorIn advance to the employer, at the full group premium
Specified disease or accident-only policiesContinuedNot covered by the continuation right
Three months is a bridge between jobs, not a plan for a long search. From most points in the year it will not reach the next Open Enrollment, so it is worth deciding early whether it is a stopgap or whether you should go straight to a marketplace plan.

The Pregnancy Provision

At least six months after the pregnancy ends

Tennessee law provides that where group coverage terminates during pregnancy, continuation runs for the fractional month remaining plus a period of not less than six months after the pregnancy ends.
That is substantially longer than the three months everyone else gets, and it applies across commercial insurers, non-profit insurers, prepaid plans including HMOs, and state government employee health programmes.
If you are pregnant and losing coverage in Tennessee, this is the single most important thing on this page. Raise it specifically with your employer or the insurer, because it is not the standard continuation offer and may not be volunteered.

What the Law Does Not Cover

The continuation right applies to policies providing hospital, surgical, or major medical benefits on an expense-incurred basis. It does not extend to policies that pay only for specified diseases, or only for accidental injury.
If your employer provided a critical illness policy, an accident plan, or a hospital indemnity plan alongside your medical cover, those are outside the continuation right. Federal COBRA would continue them; Tennessee continuation is not required to.
The right also falls away if the employer discontinues the group policy entirely, or discontinues it for your class of employee. Continuation keeps you on a policy that still exists. It cannot revive one that has been cancelled.

Your Other Options in Tennessee

Tennessee uses the federal Health Insurance Marketplace. Losing job-based coverage opens a 60-day Special Enrollment Period, and you can enrol up to 60 days before coverage ends so a new plan starts as the old one stops.
Tennessee has not expanded Medicaid. TennCare, the state’s Medicaid programme, covers children, pregnant women, and certain low-income adults, but working-age adults without dependent children generally do not qualify on income alone. That makes comparing marketplace and private options more important here, not less.
Given that state continuation runs only three months, pricing a marketplace plan at the same time is usually the sensible order rather than doing it afterwards.
How ACA Marketplace pricing works →

Read Next

How much COBRA actually costs →
Compare COBRA and Marketplace side by side →
What to do when you lose coverage →
How federal COBRA works →  ·  COBRA rules by state →

Sources

Drawn from the Tennessee Code and federal sources. Your plan documents and the terms your carrier provides govern your specific situation. The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance can answer questions about state insurance law.

Talk to a licensed agent in Tennessee

Three months goes quickly. A licensed agent can confirm what continuation you are entitled to, whether the pregnancy provision applies, and what a marketplace plan would cost alongside it. No charge, no obligation.
Get My Options

Prefer to talk? Call (888) 918-4516 · Monday to Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern

This page is general information about Tennessee and federal continuation coverage, not advice about your specific situation. The pregnancy provision and the standard continuation right depend on the terms of your group policy and the type of benefits it provides. Rules, pricing, and eligibility vary by employer, plan, carrier, and household. Review your plan documents and speak with a licensed agent about your circumstances.

This website provides educational information about health insurance and is a solicitation for insurance. It is a non-government website operated by Prodest Insurance Group, a health insurance agency that presents health plans, which may include Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans, private health insurance, short-term medical insurance, or supplemental insurance based on the consumer's selection. Qualified ACA plans must meet or exceed the essential benefit requirements of the Affordable Care Act; non-ACA plans are not required to provide all of the essential benefit requirements contained in the Affordable Care Act. Pre-existing condition provisions, benefit availability, limitations and exclusions vary by plan type and state. You should review all plan details and product brochures before purchase. To qualify for ACA health insurance coverage outside of the open enrollment period, you must meet special enrollment requirements.

*Eligibility for Affordable Care Act (ACA) Advance Premium Tax Credit (APTC) and cost-sharing reductions is based on annual federal income thresholds, household size, and plan availability within the applicable service area. Premium rates, plan availability, and subsidy amounts vary by state and marketplace. Final eligibility and premium obligations are determined by the Health Insurance Marketplace under Internal Revenue Code Section 36B and applicable federal regulations.

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