Health insurance in Illinois
Illinois now enrolls through Get Covered Illinois, its own state marketplace, not HealthCare.gov. Medicaid is expanded, so between the two there's usually something open to you — the work is figuring out which one actually costs less.
What I look at first in Illinois
- Start at the right front door. Illinois runs its own marketplace, so HealthCare.gov is not where you enroll. People lose days to this every year.
- Medicaid first, because it is free to rule out. Adults qualify on income alone here, and it changes every number that comes after it.
- Your income estimate for next year, not last year. Your subsidy is built on what you expect to earn, and a stale figure is the most expensive mistake on this page.
- The doctors and prescriptions you are not willing to lose. Networks change every plan year, so I check yours before you enroll, not after.
Outside Open Enrollment you need a qualifying life event to start a Marketplace plan — losing other coverage, moving, marriage, a birth, turning 26. Medicaid and CHIP have no window at all, so those you can apply for any day of the year.
Health insurance across Illinois
I work with clients in Chicago, Aurora, Naperville, Rockford and Springfield and everywhere else in Illinois, by phone, text or video, in English or Spanish. You get the same broker on the first call and at renewal.
- Families who want to keep their doctors and stop overpaying for coverage they don't use.
- Small business owners comparing a group plan with ICHRA or QSEHRA.
- People leaving a job who were just quoted COBRA.
- Self-employed and 1099 workers in Illinois: contractors, realtors, mechanics, salon and beauty professionals, and anyone whose income moves.
- Nurses and travel clinicians who need coverage that works on assignment in Illinois and beyond.
Illinois health insurance questions
Where do I buy health insurance in Illinois?
Illinois runs its own marketplace, Get Covered Illinois, instead of HealthCare.gov. I can enroll you there with every subsidy applied, and also compare private plans sold outside the marketplace, so you see both sides before you choose.
Did Illinois expand Medicaid?
Yes. In Illinois, adults with household income up to 138% of the federal poverty level can qualify for Medicaid on income alone. If you're anywhere near that line, I rule Medicaid in or out first, because it changes every number after it.
When is Open Enrollment in Illinois for 2027?
Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027. To have coverage start January 1, choose a plan by mid-December; I'll confirm Get Covered Illinois's exact cutoff on our call. Outside that window you need a qualifying life event, while Medicaid and CHIP accept applications all year.
Does it cost more to use a broker in Illinois?
No. Brokers are paid by the insurance carrier, and your premium is the same whether you enroll with me or on your own. The consultation and quotes are free.
Where these facts come from
Marketplace type is published by CMS for plan year 2027. Medicaid expansion status is tracked by healthinsurance.org. Open Enrollment dates are HealthCare.gov’s. Which carriers and which plan types I can place in Illinois depends on my appointments there, so I tell you that on the call rather than guessing at it here.