To cancel TennCare, report the change through your TennCare Connect account, by calling 1-855-259-0701, or by mailing or faxing a written request to TennCare Connect. There is no special termination form. Tennessee treats a voluntary cancellation as a reported change, and because the state is only required to give two days’ advance notice before ending coverage you asked to end, coverage can stop very quickly once the request is processed.1Cornell Law Institute. Tennessee Comp R Regs 1200-13-20-.09 – Redetermination and Termination Line up replacement coverage first.
Four Ways to Submit the Request
Online Through TennCare Connect
Log into your TennCare Connect account and choose “Report A Change” from the Coverage Dashboard.2TennCare Connect. TennCare Connect FAQs If you need to attach anything, upload it through the “My Documents” section. After submitting, track the request by clicking “Submission Status” on the same dashboard. Save a screenshot or write down the confirmation details as your record.
By Phone
Call the TennCare Connect Call Center at 1-855-259-0701, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CST. A representative can enter the cancellation request directly into the eligibility system while you’re on the line.3TennCare. Contact Us Stay on the call until you hear confirmation that it has been entered.
By Mail
Mail a written request to TennCare Connect, P.O. Box 305240, Nashville, TN 37230-5240. Include your full name, date of birth, case number, a clear statement that you want to end your coverage, and the date you’d like coverage to stop. Mailed requests take longer because they go through manual sorting and data entry.
By Fax
Fax the same written request to 1-855-315-0669 and keep the transmission confirmation sheet as proof it went through.4TennCare. TennCare Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) If you want a paper trail but don’t want to wait on the mail, fax is the better option.
Information to Have Ready
Have these details in front of you before you start:
- Your TennCare case number, found on benefit cards and official TennCare letters
- Full legal name and date of birth, matching what TennCare has on file
- Social Security Number for identity verification
- The specific date you want coverage to end (otherwise the state picks the date)
- Your current mailing address, where the termination notice will be sent
Mismatched information is the most common reason for delays. If you’ve moved or changed your name since enrollment, correct the record through TennCare Connect or the call center before submitting the cancellation.
When Coverage Actually Ends
Tennessee’s administrative rules draw a sharp line between the two kinds of termination. When TennCare decides on its own that someone is no longer eligible, the state must send a 20-day advance notice before cutting off benefits.5Division of TennCare. TennCare Administrative Manual – Redetermination For voluntary cancellations, the advance notice period is only two days.1Cornell Law Institute. Tennessee Comp R Regs 1200-13-20-.09 – Redetermination and Termination Don’t submit the request until your replacement insurance is active or about to start.
The state sends a termination notice to the address on file confirming the end date. You can also view it electronically by logging into TennCare Connect and checking your letters on the Coverage Dashboard.2TennCare Connect. TennCare Connect FAQs Keep that notice. You’ll need it as proof of lost coverage when enrolling in a marketplace plan, employer insurance, or any other plan that requires evidence of a qualifying life event. If a new insurer specifically asks for a Certificate of Creditable Coverage, that’s a separate document; call 1-855-259-0701 and request it.6TennCare. Do You Need a Termination Letter
Removing Only One Person from the Household
If only one family member needs to come off TennCare while others stay enrolled, you don’t have to cancel the whole case. Report the change for that specific individual, giving their full name and date of birth so the state can distinguish them from other members on the same case number.
Removing one person leaves the remaining members’ coverage intact, though the state may adjust benefit levels to reflect the new household size and income. Children often qualify for TennCare or CoverKids independently of their parents, so a parent dropping off doesn’t automatically remove the kids. If you’re unsure whether a child’s eligibility is tied to yours, call the TennCare Connect line and ask before submitting anything.
Line Up Replacement Coverage First
This is where most people get caught. They cancel TennCare and then discover their new insurance doesn’t start for weeks.
Employer Plans
Losing Medicaid triggers a 60-day special enrollment period for employer-sponsored health plans. Under federal law, your employer’s group plan must give you at least 60 days to enroll after you lose Medicaid or CHIP coverage.7HealthCare.gov. Getting Health Coverage Outside Open Enrollment If your employer has a waiting period for new hires, keep TennCare active until that waiting period ends and the employer plan starts. Miss the 60-day window and you’ll wait for the employer’s next open enrollment.
Marketplace Plans
If you aren’t getting insurance through an employer, losing TennCare qualifies you for a special enrollment period on the Health Insurance Marketplace. For people who lose Medicaid or CHIP, that window lasts 90 days from the date your coverage ends.7HealthCare.gov. Getting Health Coverage Outside Open Enrollment You’ll need your TennCare termination notice to verify the loss. Apply early in the 90 days, not late. Marketplace applications take time to process, and a gap of even a few days is a gap where one emergency room visit can cost thousands.
Re-Enrolling Means Starting Over
Voluntary cancellation is a full termination, not a pause. If your new insurance falls through or you change your mind, you’ll need to apply for TennCare again from scratch through TennCare Connect, the same as a first-time applicant, and meet all current eligibility requirements.8TennCare. How Do I Apply for TennCare There’s no guaranteed right to immediate reinstatement. Because voluntary terminations are processed so quickly, think the decision through before you submit it. Undoing it is harder than doing it.
One Note for Long-Term Care Recipients
Canceling TennCare does not erase the state’s ability to recover costs for certain benefits already received. Tennessee’s Medicaid Estate Recovery Program applies after a member’s death when all of the following are true: the member received CHOICES long-term care services (Groups 1, 2, or 3), the member was 55 or older when they received that care, and the member is deceased. The state does not pursue recovery while a member is still living, and recovery is waived when the member is survived by a spouse, a child under 21, or a child who is blind or disabled.9TennCare. Estate Recovery Canceling now doesn’t reset the total care already received during enrollment.