Marketplace insurance in Illinois: costs & enrollment
If you're moving to Illinois without job-based coverage, here's what a Marketplace plan costs before subsidies. Illinois ranks #33 of 51 for the lowest benchmark premium.
Where to enroll for 2027 coverage
RelocateMath is an independent guide. Apply, compare current plans and confirm eligibility at Get Covered Illinois, the official marketplace for Illinois.
Open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027. Select a plan by December 15, 2026 for January 1 coverage, subject to the marketplace's payment and enrollment requirements.
2027 plan changes: Cigna and Molina plans will not be available through Get Covered Illinois for 2027. If you have one of these plans, review your Get Covered Illinois notice and choose a new plan for 2027. Blue Cross Blue Shield's MyBlue Plus Bronze plan is also discontinued; affected 2026 enrollees in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kankakee, St. Clair and Will counties will be mapped to a silver plan for 2027. Review the notice and compare the new plan's costs, doctors and prescriptions. Read the official plan changes (checked 2026-10-29).
Platform checked 2026-10-01; enrollment guidance checked 2026-10-29. Check official dates and instructions. Costs below are 2026 averages, not a quote for 2027 coverage.
State average premiums and modeled costs by age
These 2026 figures compare one adult before premium tax credits. KFF weights each county's second-lowest-cost silver (benchmark) and lowest-cost bronze premiums by Marketplace plan selections. They are state averages, not a quote or the price of one plan available throughout Illinois. Your location, plan and household details affect your premium.
| Age | Benchmark silver average | Avg. lowest bronze |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | $505 | $341 |
| 30 | $574 | $387 |
| 40 | $646 | $436 |
| 50 | $902 | $609 |
| 60 | $1,372 | $926 |
| 64 | $1,516 | $1,023 |
Scaled from the age-40 average with the federal default age curve, which lets insurers charge a 64-year-old up to 3× what a 21-year-old pays. Amounts at ages other than 40 are modeled from the state averages. Excludes tobacco surcharges.
The Illinois benchmark rose 36% for 2026, more than the 26% national increase, leaving it 3% above the U.S. average for a 40-year-old.
What is different in Illinois
- Where to enroll
- Get Covered Illinois
- Open enrollment for 2027
- November 1, 2026 – January 15, 2027
- Marketplace insurers, 2026
- 7
- Medicaid expansion
- Since Jan 2014
- Penalty if uninsured
- None
- Average selected-plan premium after credits, 2026
- $230/mo
- Where and when. Illinois runs its own marketplace, Get Covered Illinois, so you apply there rather than at HealthCare.gov. Open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027. Select a plan by December 15, 2026 for January 1 coverage, subject to the marketplace's payment and enrollment requirements.
- Choice of insurers. 7 insurers sell Marketplace plans in Illinois for 2026, down from 10 in 2025. Not every insurer sells in every county, so your choices depend on where you live. 448,568 people picked a Marketplace plan here for 2026, down 4% from 2025.
- Average premiums for selected plans. Plans selected during open enrollment had an average monthly premium of $230 after advance premium tax credits for 2026, up 21% from the $190 average for 2025 (U.S. average: $178). Before credits, selected plans averaged $816. These averages include people without tax credits and compare different mixes of people and plans; they aren't records of premiums actually paid or a quote for your household.
- Medicaid. Illinois expanded Medicaid in January 2014, when the ACA expansion took effect. Adults with income up to 138% of the federal poverty level can generally get Medicaid instead of a Marketplace plan. A state "trigger" law would end the expansion or force cost cuts if federal funding for it is reduced.
- Going uninsured. Illinois doesn't charge a penalty for going without coverage, and the federal penalty ended after 2018. In 2024, 6.8% of residents had no health insurance (U.S.: 8.2%), and 5.2% bought their own coverage.
Medicaid income limits above describe the adult categories shown. Pregnancy, disability, age, household circumstances and other eligibility rules can create different pathways. Apply even if your state has not expanded Medicaid; the application checks whether you qualify under your state's rules.
Subsidies in 2026
The enhanced premium tax credits of 2021–2025 expired. Under the 2026 federal rules, household incomes generally between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level may qualify, subject to the other eligibility conditions; income alone does not establish eligibility. The expected contribution toward the benchmark plan ranges from about 2.1% to 9.96% of income, and above 400% there is no federal credit. An affordable employer offer that meets minimum value, or eligibility for certain public coverage, can affect credits even if you do not enroll in the employer plan. Confirm your eligibility and price with the official marketplace.
Use expected household income for the year you want coverage, including income before and after a job change, rather than only your new job's annual salary. These are 2026 subsidy and premium figures; select the appropriate coverage year at Get Covered Illinois when applying. Eligibility guidance checked October 21, 2026.
Planning Illinois coverage for 2027
Compare and enroll in 2027 plans at Get Covered Illinois during its November 1, 2026–January 15, 2027 open-enrollment period. The 2026 state averages on this page cannot tell you the premium for a 2027 plan or the savings your household may qualify for.
If you enroll or change plans December 16 through January 15, the marketplace says coverage starts February 1 after the first premium is paid. If you need January coverage, check the December 15 deadline above and confirm payment and effective dates with the marketplace. Find free local enrollment help.
Moving from another state? Use the coverage-transition checklist to prepare for the new application, and the moving timeline for other tasks. To compare locations, see Marketplace premiums by state.
Renewing does not guarantee the same financial help. Get Covered Illinois describes coverage-year eligibility changes; update household information and read any requested-document notices. Compare the plan and its savings for your household, rather than carrying forward a 2026 after-credit price.
Keep a copy of each plan's Summary of Benefits and Coverage and verify doctors, hospitals and prescriptions for the exact 2027 plan and network, even if the insurer name is unchanged. Illinois' plan-choice guidance explains the costs and features to compare. Use the two-quote budget comparison below to see the premium trade-off without treating a state average as a quote.
The state's 2027 plan announcement also lists county expansions by Ambetter and MercyCare. Check the choices for your new county: the 2026 statewide insurer count elsewhere on this page does not describe the plans available at your 2027 address.
Compare two actual plan quotes
A lower monthly premium can come with more cost when you get care. Use the same coverage year, household and individual or family coverage level for both plans. Enter the monthly premium you would pay after any savings and each plan's applicable annual in-network out-of-pocket maximum from its Summary of Benefits and Coverage. If eligible for silver cost-sharing reductions, use the reduced limits shown for your actual plan.
Worked example: the starting amounts are hypothetical, not actual plan prices or quotes. Plan A costs $250 a month with a $9,000 limit; Plan B costs $350 with a $6,000 limit. The comparison below separates the recurring premium from a year in which you reach the limit.
| Budget measure | Plan A | Plan B |
|---|---|---|
| Premiums: monthly amount × 12 | $3,000 | $4,200 |
| Premiums + full annual in-network out-of-pocket maximum | $12,000 | $10,200 |
Plan B costs $1,200 more in premiums over 12 months. It would need to reduce your covered out-of-pocket spending by more than that amount to cost less overall. The deductible alone cannot tell you whether it will.
Only premiums scale with the number of months. The full annual out-of-pocket maximum stays unchanged, even for one month. The second row is a stress test if you reach each plan's limit for covered in-network care. It is not an expected bill or a cap on all spending. Premiums, uncovered care, out-of-network charges and some other costs do not count toward that limit. Deductibles, copays and coinsurance that count toward it are already inside the limit; do not add the deductible again.
Before choosing, check the exact plan's doctor and hospital network, prescription formulary, referrals and prior-authorization rules. This comparison assumes none of either plan's annual limit has been met. If you are keeping a plan or switching midyear, confirm with the insurer what spending counts toward the new plan; the tool does not calculate amounts already met or transferred. Official guidance on total plan costs and what the out-of-pocket limit excludes.
Allow for tax-credit reconciliation. If advance premium tax credits help pay your 2026 premiums, report income, household and other coverage changes to your Marketplace promptly. For tax years after 2025, the IRS requires repayment of the full excess if those advances exceed the credit you are allowed; the former repayment caps do not apply. Use Form 1095-A to reconcile advances on Form 8962. IRS reporting and repayment guidance (questions 29–31). This worksheet does not estimate that tax adjustment.
Amounts stay on this page; they are not stored, added to a URL or sent to an insurer. This comparison does not estimate medical use, savings eligibility, tax-credit reconciliation or which plan is best for you.
Moving outside open enrollment
A move to a new ZIP code or county may create a Special Enrollment Period if it changes the plans available to you. Moving only for a vacation or medical treatment does not qualify.
Generally, a moving SEP requires qualifying coverage for at least one day in the 60 days before the move, and enrollment within 60 days after it. Exceptions include a move from abroad or a U.S. territory. Keep proof of your old coverage, move date and new address. The marketplace decides eligibility and when coverage starts; do not cancel existing coverage until the replacement start date is confirmed.
Check whether you may qualify at HealthCare.gov. For Get Covered Illinois enrollment, ask the official marketplace about your move.
Sources: HealthCare.gov moving guidance and CMS moving-SEP requirements. Checked September 30, 2026.
Plan your Marketplace coverage transition
Already using Marketplace coverage, or planning to apply after moving? Choose the states and coverage year to see the application steps. Employer plans, Medicare and Medicaid have their own transition rules; confirm those directly with the plan or program.
New York to Illinois: 2027 Marketplace checklist
New-state application: For an interstate Marketplace move, start a new 2027 application and enroll through Get Covered Illinois for Illinois. Having an application at NY State of Health for New York does not transfer your plan. If applying on HealthCare.gov, select the coverage year and your new state.
Origin-state marketplace for 2027: NY State of Health. Destination-state marketplace for 2027: Get Covered Illinois. Select 2027 on the official application. If your old plan covers a different year, switch the year to find its recorded marketplace or contact that plan directly.
Tick each item after you have checked it. Ticks stay only on this page and reset when you change the states or year. We do not ask for your income, medical details or exact coverage dates.
For an interstate Marketplace move, start a new 2027 application and enroll through Get Covered Illinois for Illinois. Having an application at NY State of Health for New York does not transfer your plan. If applying on HealthCare.gov, select the coverage year and your new state.
Confirm the new plan's effective date, any first-premium payment and the old plan's end date with the marketplace. Do not cancel current coverage before the replacement start date is confirmed. This worksheet does not determine those dates.
Estimate expected household income for 2027, including the part of the year before a job change—not only the new job's annual salary. Use the official household-income guidance. An affordable employer offer that meets minimum value, or eligibility for certain public coverage, can affect credits. Check employer-coverage conditions.
Confirm your doctors, hospitals and prescriptions with the new plan. Compare premiums, deductibles, copayments, coinsurance and out-of-pocket limits; a state-average premium is not a household quote. Compare total health care costs.
Outside open enrollment, ask the marketplace whether the move qualifies for a Special Enrollment Period. Generally, moving-SEP rules require qualifying coverage for at least one day in the preceding 60 days, with exceptions, and enrollment within 60 days after the move. Keep proof of prior coverage, the move and new address. Check the official SEP rules and CMS prior-coverage requirements and exceptions.
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This is an application checklist, not an eligibility decision, enrollment confirmation, quote or guaranteed coverage date. Official same-state and interstate move instructions. Guidance checked 2026-10-21. Premium averages elsewhere on this page remain 2026 data; this checklist does not estimate 2027 prices.
Frequently asked questions
How much is health insurance in Illinois in 2026?
For one 40-year-old before premium tax credits, the state average benchmark silver premium is $646 a month and the average lowest-cost bronze premium is $436. KFF weights each county's second-lowest-cost silver and lowest-cost bronze premiums by plan selections. The benchmark average is up 36% from 2025. Your ZIP code and plan can give a different quote.
How much does health insurance cost for a 60-year-old in Illinois?
The modeled state average benchmark silver premium is about $1,372 a month before premium tax credits, scaled from the age-40 average using the federal default age curve. Your location and plan determine the actual quote.
Did Illinois expand Medicaid?
Illinois expanded Medicaid in January 2014, when the ACA expansion took effect. Adults with income up to 138% of the federal poverty level can generally get Medicaid instead of a Marketplace plan. A state "trigger" law would end the expansion or force cost cuts if federal funding for it is reduced.