Tennessee is home to one of the most dynamic healthcare markets in the United States. Nashville, often called the "Healthcare Capital of America," is headquarters to some of the nation's largest for-profit hospital companies, including HCA Healthcare, Community Health Systems (CHS), and Acadia Healthcare. The city's healthcare industry employs hundreds of thousands and generates billions in economic activity. Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) in Nashville is the state's premier academic medical institution, consistently ranked among the top hospitals nationally for cancer, neurology, and cardiology.
Memphis is served by Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, Baptist Memorial Health Care, and the Regional One Health Level I Trauma Center. Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis is one of the top pediatric hospitals in the country. Knoxville's major health systems include University of Tennessee Medical Center and Covenant Health.
Tennessee has not expanded Medicaid under the ACA. The state operates TennCare, a managed care Medicaid program, which covers low-income children, pregnant women, and certain adults with disabilities. The Tennessee Department of Health (tn.gov/health) oversees public health programs. The Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners (tn.gov) handles physician licensing.