Requirements for TennCare

Tenncare provides medical coverage for many of the more than 600,000 Tennessee residents who don't have private health insurance. Tenncare covers a broad range of people, including children, pregnant women, elderly people, single parents and women with breast or cervical cancer. Acceptance into the program is based on income and in some cases evaluation of current assets.

Requirements for Tenncare

• Pregnant women and infants can receive Tenncare if their family meets income reqirements.

  To qualify for Tenncare, you must be a U.S. citizen or have legal residency status. You may receive Tenncare if you are pregnant or under 18. Students ages 18 to 20 may also apply. People already receiving Medicare may qualify. To be accepted into the Tenncare program, you must meet income requirements.

Income

• To qualify for Tenncare, your family income must not exceed more than 185 percent of the federal poverty level. If you are currently receiving payments from the Families First program, you may still qualify and be able to stay on Tenncare for a full year after finding employment.

Special Circumstances

• Elderly or disabled people with low incomes may qualify for Tenncare even if they are receiving Social Security benefits. People with high medical bills for drugs or nursing home care may qualify if those costs, when subtracted from their income, put them in an eligible category for Tenncare.

How to Apply for Tenncare

• You can apply for Tenncare online (see Resources), mail an application to the Department of Human Services (DHS) or visit a DHS office in person.