Health Insurance Carrier Network Information

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee and Cigna, our health insurance carriers, administer the medical network options. Both carriers offer expansive networks of doctors, hospitals and facilities. For additional information about participating hospitals, please carefully review all information provided below, including the hospital list and other network information.

Find out if your providers are in the networks

BlueCross BlueShield Network S
Cigna LocalPlus

These are efficient networks, and you will save money with them. These networks include more than 95% of the providers and 85% of the hospitals that are in the expanded networks. If your providers are in BCBST Network S or Cigna LocalPlus, either may be your best choice for saving money on premiums and health care services.

BlueCross BlueShield Network P
Cigna Open Access Plus

These are expanded networks, which include more hospitals and facilities than the efficient networks, but the monthly premiums are higher because providers charge more in the expanded networks. In 2026, for all health plans, the additional cost is increasing and will be:  

• Additional $90 per month for the employee-only tier
• Additional $100 per month for the employee + child(ren) tier
• Additional $180 per month for the employee + spouse and employee + spouse + child(ren) tiers.

You’ll see the total cost for these networks in the premium chart. You may also pay more per claim because the costs for services in these networks are generally higher than the efficient networks.

In 2025, the current additional cost for the expanded networks is:

• Additional $75 per month for the employee-only tier
• Additional $85 per month for the employee + child(ren) tier
• Additional $150 per month for the employee + spouse and employee + spouse + child(ren) tiers

It’s important to check the networks carefully when making your selection. You will keep the network you choose for the entire plan year, subject to continued eligibility. You can make changes during the plan’s next Annual Enrollment period.  You may be able to make changes allowed by the plan during the plan year if you have a qualifying event. Information about qualifying events is on page three of the Enrollment Change Application, found on the Publications webpage, then Forms.

Network providers and facilities can and do change. Benefits Administration cannot guarantee all providers and hospitals in a network at the beginning of the year will stay in that network for the entire year. A provider or hospital leaving a network is not a qualifying event and does not allow you to make changes to your insurance choices.

If you use providers outside of the network, you will be charged out-of-network rates unless certain rights and protections apply. Your insurance ID card shows your carrier and network.

Information in provider directories is accurate at the time of publication. Providers and hospitals in the carriers' networks can change after documents are published. You can verify the network status of your preferred providers before receiving care by calling BCBST or Cigna member services or by using the online provider search on the carrier websites.

Covered Services

The carriers' covered services are generally the same whether you choose BCBST or Cigna. For some procedures, different medical criteria may apply based on the carrier you select. For detailed information on covered services, exclusions and how the plans work, view the BCBST or Cigna member handbooks and your plan document, available on the Publications page. If you have questions about your benefits or medical criteria for a specific service, contact the carriers’ member services number on the back of your medical insurance card.

Coordination of Benefits

Coordination of benefits rules decide which insurance plan pays your claims first, how much each plan will pay, and how much you will pay.

Double coverage means you have insurance under two medical plans. For example:
·    you might be enrolled in the State Group Insurance Program* plus another employer plan (for example, as an employee in the state plan and as a dependent, spouse or child in the local education plan); or
·    you might be enrolled in two State Group Insurance Program* plans; or
·    you might be enrolled in Medicare as your primary coverage and in a State Group Insurance Program* plan as your secondary coverage

Coordination of benefits will be applied to your claims so that:
·    if you have other primary medical coverage and secondary medical coverage with this plan, you will pay any cost share required by this plan.
·    if you have primary and secondary coverage with this plan, you will pay the cost share required by this plan’s secondary coverage.

See examples.

*The State Group Insurance Program, also referenced as “this plan”, includes three separate plans: State/Higher Education, Local Education and Local Government.