On August 23, 2016, the Tennessee Insurance Commissioner, Julie Peak, announced that the office approved large double digit rate increases for all of the companies offering health insurance in 2017. This decision is also supported by Governor Bill Haslam.
The three companies offering coverage in Tennessee will be Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, and Humana and expect to hike rates as much as 40 - 60% in a state where residents pay far more than the national average. Though there is help for Tennessee residents living below the poverty line, the hardest hit are families earning $75 - $100K gross annually and small businesses. With Tennessee companies also paying salaries 8.9% below the national average, more families will struggle to protect their health. This price-gouging must stop.