Insurance Premiums
Premium levels
The following things affect your health insurance premium costs:
- Your choice of health care options*
- The size and makeup of your family
There are four premium coverage levels:
- Employee only
- Employee + spouse
- Employee + child(ren)
- Employee + spouse + child(ren)
- Where you work
Depending on whether you're in the state, local education or local government plan, you will pay a portion or all of the premium for your health insurance.
* The BlueCross BlueShield Network P and Cigna Open Access Plus networks cost more per month. There is no additional monthly cost added to the premium for the BCBST Network S or Cigna LP networks. See the Carrier Information webpage for details.
Insurance premiums for 2025
Health Insurance Premiums
Health insurance premium information is provided for all three plans (state, local education and local government) for active employees, retirees and COBRA participants. Select your category from the list below. Active state and higher education employees will see your premium as well as the amount the state pays for your coverage. For local education and local government, the premium amounts are the total premium before your employer contributes any money, if they do contribute. Your agency has a benefits coordinator trained to help employees in their insurance needs and options. This coordinator can provide you with specific premium information, including how much your employer may contribute to your premium and your employee deductions.
State Plan
Local Education Plan
Local Government Plan
State Plan
Local Education Plan
Local Government Plan
Life Insurance Premiums — State Plan Only
The state pays 100% of the premiums for employee basic term life/basic accidental death and dismemberment insurance. This change automatically occurs in Edison. Employees of state offline agencies should consult with their agency benefits coordinator about premiums.
Employees can buy voluntary accidental death and dismemberment insurance to give additional protection if the employee or employee’s covered dependent’s death or dismemberment is due to an accident. This is in addition to the employee basic AD&D coverage. Employees pay the full monthly premium.
Employees can buy voluntary term life insurance for themselves, their spouse and their children. Employees pay the full monthly premium.
The Tennessee Plan - All Plans
Supplemental medical insurance coverage for retirees with Medicare is available. The state pays part of the monthly premium for retired state employees and schoolteachers with 15 or more years of service.
- The Tennessee Plan 2025
- The Tennessee Plan 2024
Other Insurance Coverages
Dental Insurance
The state pays one-half of dental coverage premiums (all coverage tiers) for active central state government and state higher education employees. This premium funding change automatically occurs in Edison. Local education and local government employees are eligible for coverage if your agency chooses to offer it. State offline agency employees, local education and local government employees and retirees pay the full monthly premium. Check with your agency benefits coordinator to find out if you’re eligible.
Vision Insurance
Members pay the full monthly premium.
Disability premiums —State Plan Only
Members pay the full monthly premium for short-term disability insurance coverage.
- Short Term
- Short Term 2024 premiums
The state pays the full monthly premium for long-term disability insurance option 3 for active central state government and state higher education employees. Employees can choose LTD options 1, 2 or 4, but will pay the full monthly premium for these options. Employees of state offline agencies should consult with their agency benefits coordinator about premiums.