Credentialing by state / Tennessee
Nurse Practitioner Credentialing in Tennessee
Enrollments are billed 50% at the start and 50% at submission; everything else 100% at the start.
| NP practice environment | Restricted Practice (AANP) |
|---|---|
| Licensing authority | The Tennessee board of nursing, with physician collaboration or supervision required |
| Medicare contractor | Palmetto GBA, jurisdiction JJ |
| Medicaid | TennCare, enrolled through the TennCare Provider Registration portal |
| Medicaid managed care | 3 plans, 1,436,313 members (2024) |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield plan | BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee |
Tennessee Is a Restricted Practice State
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners classifies Tennessee as restricted practice: state law requires career-long supervision, delegation or team management by another health provider for the NP to provide patient care. 11 of the 50 states and DC have that classification, and they are where NP applications most often stall on agreement paperwork.
For credentialing, restricted practice means the supervising physician is effectively part of your application. TennCare and the commercial plans, including BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, typically ask for the supervision or delegation agreement, the physician's name, NPI and license, and sometimes the physician's own attestation. Some plans in restricted states credential NPs only as members of a physician-led group, so an NP-owned entity may be told the panel is limited even when the application is complete.
Medicare enrolls the NP on the CMS-855I without asking for the agreement, but its NP rule (42 CFR 410.75) requires compliance with Tennessee law, so supervision has to be in place before you bill Palmetto GBA. When the supervising physician leaves, the NP's ability to practice and to be paid depends on a new agreement being signed and reported to every plan, which makes that change the single biggest credentialing risk for a Tennessee NP.
TennCare Managed-Care Plans for NPs
After the state enrollment, each managed-care plan credentials you as its own application. The largest in Tennessee by 2024 enrollment:
- Volunteer State Health Plan (BlueCare and TennCare Select): 577,577 members
- UnitedHealthcare Community Plan: 429,505 members, owned by UnitedHealth Group
- Wellpoint: 429,231 members, owned by Elevance Health
Neighboring States
If you practice near the border or by telehealth, the rules change at the state line: Alabama is reduced practice, Arkansas is reduced practice, Kentucky is reduced practice, Mississippi is reduced practice. Georgia, Missouri, North Carolina, Virginia share Tennessee's classification.
- Alabama NP credentialing (Reduced Practice)
- Arkansas NP credentialing (Reduced Practice)
- Georgia NP credentialing (Restricted Practice)
- Kentucky NP credentialing (Reduced Practice)
- Missouri NP credentialing (Restricted Practice)
- Mississippi NP credentialing (Reduced Practice)
- North Carolina NP credentialing (Restricted Practice)
- Virginia NP credentialing (Restricted Practice)
The full NP checklist, the entity decision and where applications stall are in our nurse practitioner credentialing guide. For Medicare, Medicaid and commercial plans for every clinician type in the state, see credentialing in Tennessee.
Questions Tennessee NPs Ask
Do Tennessee nurse practitioners need a collaborating physician to get credentialed?
Yes in practice. AANP classifies Tennessee as restricted practice, and TennCare and most commercial plans ask for the supervision or delegation agreement and the physician's name and NPI with the application.
How does a Tennessee NP join TennCare?
Enroll with the Division of TennCare through the TennCare Provider Registration portal. Most TennCare members are in managed care (1,436,313 enrolled across 3 plans in 2024), so after the state enrollment is active, each plan you want, such as Volunteer State Health Plan (BlueCare and TennCare Select), UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, Wellpoint, credentials you separately.
Can an NP licensed in Tennessee see patients in a neighboring state?
Only with a license from that state, and each state's practice rules apply to the patients there. Alabama is reduced practice; Arkansas is reduced practice; Georgia is restricted practice; Kentucky is reduced practice; Missouri is restricted practice; Mississippi is reduced practice; North Carolina is restricted practice; Virginia is restricted practice. Payer enrollment is also per state, so seeing patients across the line means a separate Medicaid enrollment and separate commercial applications there.
What does PECS charge a Tennessee NP?
CAQH (DataSpring) profile build $500; Medicare enrollment $500; TennCare enrollment $500; each commercial application, including BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, $200 per provider. Enrollment services bill 50% at engagement and 50% at submission.
Answers cover PECS services, prices and process. For legal, tax or clinical questions please consult a professional.
Sources: American Association of Nurse Practitioners, State Practice Environment (updated May 2026); KFF, Medicaid MCO Enrollment by Plan and Parent Firm, 2024. Practice classification is AANP's; confirm current rules with the Tennessee board of nursing. Updated October 7, 2026.