Home › Insurance › TennCare income limits 2026
Direct answer: Tennessee hasn't expanded Medicaid, so TennCare covers adults mainly as parents or caretakers, up to 100% of poverty ($27,320 a year for a family of 3 in 2026), and pregnant women up to 250% ($54,100 for 2). Children qualify up to 133%-195%, and CoverKids covers kids to 250% ($82,500 for 4).
By the numbers: TennCare Eligibility Reference Guide: caretaker relatives 100% FPL; pregnant 250%; children 195% (under 1), 142% (1-5), 133% (6-18); CoverKids at or below 250%. 2026 chart: 100% = $15,960 for 1, $33,000 for 4. Source: TennCare
“Available to parents and Caretaker Relatives of dependent children under age 18 or 18 and a full-time student for the parent to qualify. 100% of the poverty level.” — TennCare Eligibility Reference Guide
Updated 2026-10-18
It depends on the group. Parents and caretaker relatives: 100% of the poverty level, $15,960 a year for 1, $27,320 for 3, $33,000 for 4 ($2,750 a month). Pregnant women: 250%, $54,100 a year for 2. Children: 195% under age 1, 142% ages 1-5, 133% ages 6-18, and CoverKids up to 250% ($82,500 for a family of 4). Source: TennCare's Eligibility Reference Guide.
Usually not on income alone. Tennessee hasn't expanded Medicaid (Medicaid.gov), so adults 19-64 without a dependent child generally qualify only through another group: disability (SSI), being on Medicare (Medicare Savings Programs), needing nursing-home level care, breast or cervical cancer, or former foster care up to age 26.
At or below 250% of the poverty level for children under 19 and pregnant women who don't qualify for TennCare: $39,900 a year for 1, $54,100 for 2, $68,300 for 3 and $82,500 for 4 ($6,875 a month for 4). CoverKids must be the child's only health plan.
250% of the poverty level: $54,100 a year ($4,509 a month) for a household of 2. Newborns of Medicaid-eligible mothers are deemed eligible for one year. CoverKids covers pregnancy to 250% too, with no immigration documents required.
TennCare's chart: QMB up to 100% of poverty ($1,330 a month for 1, $1,804 for 2), SLMB from 100% to under 120% ($1,596 / $2,164), QI from 120% to under 135% ($1,796 / $2,435). Resource limit $9,950 for 1 person and $14,910 for 2. QMB pays Medicare premiums, deductibles and coinsurance; SLMB and QI pay the Part B premium.
Online at TennCareConnect.TN.gov, by phone at 855-259-0701, or with a paper application mailed or faxed to TennCare Connect. It takes most people 30 to 60 minutes. There is no open enrollment for TennCare or CoverKids; apply any time.
TennCare / CoverKids 2026 income limits (TennCare Eligibility Reference Guide); checked Oct. 18, 2026.
As of Oct. 18, 2026 · TennCare + CoverKids · 2026 chart
Tennessee hasn't expanded Medicaid, so TennCare covers adults mainly as parents or caretakers (up to 100% of poverty: $27,320 a year, $2,277 a month for a family of 3 in 2026) and pregnant women (up to 250%: $54,100 a year for 2). Children qualify for TennCare up to 195% (under 1), 142% (ages 1-5) or 133% (6-18), and CoverKids covers kids up to 250% ($82,500 a year for 4). Adults without a child at home usually can't get TennCare on income alone.
The math:
Sources: Income check · 2026 chart · Who qualifies · Apply · Sources
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Pick who you are, then enter your household size and income before taxes.
Gross household income limits from TennCare's Eligibility Reference Guide. For each person over 8, add $5,680 a year at 100%.
| Household size | 100% Parents / caretakers; QMB | 120% SLMB: below this | 133% Children 6-18 | 135% QI: below this | 142% Children 1-5 | 195% Infants under 1 | 200% QDWI | 211% Standard rollover kids: below this | 250% Pregnant; CoverKids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $15,960 | $19,152 | $21,227 | $21,546 | $22,664 | $31,122 | $31,920 | $33,676 | $39,900 |
| 2 | $21,640 | $25,968 | $28,782 | $29,214 | $30,729 | $42,198 | $43,280 | $45,661 | $54,100 |
| 3 | $27,320 | $32,784 | $36,336 | $36,882 | $38,795 | $53,274 | $54,640 | $57,646 | $68,300 |
| 4 | $33,000 | $39,600 | $43,890 | $44,550 | $46,860 | $64,350 | $66,000 | $69,630 | $82,500 |
| 5 | $38,680 | $46,416 | $51,445 | $52,218 | $54,926 | $75,426 | $77,360 | $81,615 | $96,700 |
| 6 | $44,360 | $53,232 | $58,999 | $59,886 | $62,992 | $86,502 | $88,720 | $93,600 | $110,900 |
| 7 | $50,040 | $60,048 | $66,554 | $67,554 | $71,057 | $97,578 | $100,080 | $105,585 | $125,100 |
| 8 | $55,720 | $66,864 | $74,108 | $75,222 | $79,123 | $108,654 | $111,440 | $117,570 | $139,300 |
| Household size | 100% Parents / caretakers; QMB | 120% SLMB: below this | 133% Children 6-18 | 135% QI: below this | 142% Children 1-5 | 195% Infants under 1 | 200% QDWI | 211% Standard rollover kids: below this | 250% Pregnant; CoverKids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,330 | $1,596 | $1,769 | $1,796 | $1,889 | $2,594 | $2,660 | $2,807 | $3,325 |
| 2 | $1,804 | $2,164 | $2,399 | $2,435 | $2,561 | $3,517 | $3,607 | $3,806 | $4,509 |
| 3 | $2,277 | $2,732 | $3,028 | $3,074 | $3,233 | $4,440 | $4,554 | $4,804 | $5,692 |
| 4 | $2,750 | $3,300 | $3,658 | $3,713 | $3,905 | $5,363 | $5,500 | $5,803 | $6,875 |
| 5 | $3,224 | $3,868 | $4,288 | $4,352 | $4,578 | $6,286 | $6,447 | $6,802 | $8,059 |
| 6 | $3,697 | $4,436 | $4,917 | $4,991 | $5,250 | $7,209 | $7,394 | $7,800 | $9,242 |
| 7 | $4,170 | $5,004 | $5,547 | $5,630 | $5,922 | $8,132 | $8,340 | $8,799 | $10,425 |
| 8 | $4,644 | $5,572 | $6,176 | $6,269 | $6,594 | $9,055 | $9,287 | $9,798 | $11,609 |
Medicaid.gov's national table (state decisions as of Dec. 1, 2023) still lists Tennessee parents at 84% (a dollar standard) and pregnancy at 195%; TennCare's current guide shows 100% and 250%, which we use here and on our state-by-state page.
How we built this: on Oct. 18, 2026 we saved TennCare's Eligibility Reference Guide, the CoverKids eligibility page and TennCare's How Do I Apply page with checksums. Our build checks that all 16 chart rows and 34 quoted passages appear word for word, that the 100% column equals the 2026 HHS poverty guideline for every household size, and that every chart cell equals the percent times the guideline rounded up, which is how we extend sizes 9 and up with TennCare's add-$5,680 rule. The check compares your income with the chart for the same period (year or month). It runs in your browser with the same rules as our server-side test.
Facts, not legal advice. TennCare decides eligibility using its own income counting (MAGI for most groups; Medicaid.gov notes MAGI rules generally add a 5% of poverty disregard) and checks residency, citizenship or immigration status, age, disability, resources for some groups, and other rules. If you're close, apply.
It depends on the group. Parents and caretaker relatives: 100% of the poverty level, $15,960 a year for 1, $27,320 for 3, $33,000 for 4 ($2,750 a month). Pregnant women: 250%, $54,100 a year for 2. Children: 195% under age 1, 142% ages 1-5, 133% ages 6-18, and CoverKids up to 250% ($82,500 for a family of 4). Source: TennCare's Eligibility Reference Guide.
Usually not on income alone. Tennessee hasn't expanded Medicaid (Medicaid.gov), so adults 19-64 without a dependent child generally qualify only through another group: disability (SSI), being on Medicare (Medicare Savings Programs), needing nursing-home level care, breast or cervical cancer, or former foster care up to age 26.
At or below 250% of the poverty level for children under 19 and pregnant women who don't qualify for TennCare: $39,900 a year for 1, $54,100 for 2, $68,300 for 3 and $82,500 for 4 ($6,875 a month for 4). CoverKids must be the child's only health plan.
250% of the poverty level: $54,100 a year ($4,509 a month) for a household of 2. Newborns of Medicaid-eligible mothers are deemed eligible for one year. CoverKids covers pregnancy to 250% too, with no immigration documents required.
TennCare's chart: QMB up to 100% of poverty ($1,330 a month for 1, $1,804 for 2), SLMB from 100% to under 120% ($1,596 / $2,164), QI from 120% to under 135% ($1,796 / $2,435). Resource limit $9,950 for 1 person and $14,910 for 2. QMB pays Medicare premiums, deductibles and coinsurance; SLMB and QI pay the Part B premium.
Online at TennCareConnect.TN.gov, by phone at 855-259-0701, or with a paper application mailed or faxed to TennCare Connect. It takes most people 30 to 60 minutes. There is no open enrollment for TennCare or CoverKids; apply any time.
Facts, not insurance advice. We don't sell insurance or provide quotes; confirm coverage and requirements with the insurer, an agent or your state insurance department.
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