Each state has its own Department of Insurance, which means health insurance pricing, and regulations can vary based on a state’s current laws and economy. This means that some states are more flexible in terms of health plans than others. So before you begin searching for insurance policies, it’s best to know what the options and requirements are in your area.

Illinois Health Insurance Options

Illinois is one of the six states that holds a partnership health insurance exchange with the federal government. If you choose a qualified plan, you can enroll through HealthCare.Gov, or a private exchange like iHealth Agents. The advantage of using a private exchange like iHealth Agents is that you can shop the same qualified plans at healthcare.gov, but also have access to many non-qualified plans and supplemental coverages not offered at healthcare.gov.

Residents also have the option to opt for non-qualified alternatives, including temporary health insurance. For those who decide to go without coverage, note that Illinois does not implement the individual mandate requirement, which means that residents do not have to pay a fine for going uninsured.

Qualified plans are compliant with the Affordable Care Act, which covers the ten Essential Health Benefits, a set of benefits that are guaranteed to cover specific healthcare costs without discriminating against age, gender, location, or lifestyle choices.

Non-qualified plans are less expensive plans that provide coverage for individuals and families. These plans do not comply with the federal government’s health insurance requirements and do not cover maternity, mental health, substance abuse or pre-existing conditions.

These plans can help cover individual, family, and short term healthcare costs.

Illinois Individual Health Insurance

Illinois individual health insurance is a type of coverage you purchase if you are only covering yourself or your family. You can choose to get insurance coverage through a private exchange like iHealth Agents, directly from the insurance company, HealthCare.gov, your employer, or a social insurance plan like Medicare or Medicaid. Under the new Medicaid Expansion, individuals under 65 years old who are up to 138% of the federal poverty level may qualify.

For ACA qualified plans, individuals can expect these average costs of premiums in Illinois (Age 40, Zip code 61525):

  • Single Adult

    Single adult

    $517
  • Married Couple

    Married Couple

    $1,035

Alternatively, you could consider non-qualified plans. These plans still offer substantial coverage, with limits varying by the policy. Find out the lowest cost for non-qualified insurance near you.

Illinois Family Health Insurance

Illinois family health insurance is ideal for families with at least one spouse and dependent. You can purchase qualified and non-qualified plans through iHealth Agents. You can also get coverage from your employer. Medicare is intended for seniors 65 years and older, so these are not viable options for families. If you're family income is less than 138% of the 2020 federal poverty level ($42,338 for a family of 5), you may qualify for Medicaid.

Here are the average costs of qualified premiums for Illinois families (Age 40) with children under 26 years old:

  • Health Maintenance Organization

    A married couple with one child

    $1,372
  • Health Maintenance Organization

    A married couple with two children

    $1,710
  • Health Maintenance Organization

    A married couple with three children

    $2,047

There are less expensive options to consider if you only need certain types of coverage. For example, non-qualified insurance has much lower premiums that can cover the whole family.

Illinois Short Term Health Insurance

Illinois Short Term Health Insurance

Short term health insurance is a form of non-qualified insurance that is very affordable and intended to provide temporary coverage until you're covered by an employer plan or a qualified plan. In Illinois, you can purchase coverage for up to 6 months (180 Days). When the coverage expires, you cannot buy another short term plan with the same carrier for 30 days. If you still need coverage, you will need to choose a different insurance carrier. iHealth Agents offers easy online enrollment with multiple short term medical carriers in Illinois.

Find the Right Plan Today

If you’re trying to stay within budget while finding the right coverage, then you already know that it can be an overwhelming process. The good news is that iHealth Agents can do the work of searching for the right plan for you. iHealth Agents is an affordable exchange where you can browse for qualified and non-qualified plans so you can find the right coverage at the right price. Find your new policy today.