Key takeaway: Illinois marketplace health insurance rates for 2027 rise 14.1% on average before subsidies, open enrollment on Get Covered Illinois runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027, and the average benchmark silver plan for a 40-year-old in Illinois was $646 a month in 2026.
If you buy your own health insurance in Chicago, you buy it through Get Covered Illinois, the state-run marketplace since the 2026 plan year (healthinsurance.org). Here’s what plans cost and what’s changing for 2027.
What are the key dates for 2027 health coverage in Illinois?
- Open enrollment: November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 (Illinois Department of Insurance).
- Shop and enroll at Get Covered Illinois.
Benchmark premiums and Chicago health insurance costs
| Year | Illinois benchmark silver, age 40 | US average |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $474 a month | $497 a month |
| 2026 | $646 a month | $625 a month |
Source: KFF, marketplace average benchmark premiums. These are full prices before any tax credit. KFF has not yet published 2027 figures, and county-level figures for Cook County weren’t available from KFF.
2027 rate changes by insurer
| Insurer | Average 2027 change |
|---|---|
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois | 14.9% |
| Oscar | 12.7% |
| UnitedHealthcare | 12.4% |
| MercyCare | 12.2% |
| Ambetter | 9.2% |
Source: healthinsurance.org. The Illinois Department of Insurance put the weighted average increase at 14.1%, down from 28.8% the year before, and notes that posted rates aren’t what most people pay after subsidies (Illinois Department of Insurance). Cigna and Molina are leaving the Illinois individual market for 2027, so their members need to pick a new plan during open enrollment (ACASignups; healthinsurance.org).
How do premium tax credits lower the cost?
The enhanced premium tax credits that lowered marketplace prices from 2021 through 2025 expired at the end of 2025 and have not been renewed by Congress (KFF). The original Affordable Care Act tax credits still apply, so many people pay well below the benchmark price. Get Covered Illinois estimated that the end of the enhanced credits would raise average monthly premiums 78% for Illinois enrollees in 2026 (Get Covered Illinois). Enter your income on Get Covered Illinois to see your own price after credits.
For how health costs fit with the rest of a Chicago budget, see how much you need to make to live in Chicago.
What job-based coverage costs in Illinois
Most working Chicagoans get insurance through an employer, not the marketplace. KFF’s state data for 2025 shows what those plans cost in Illinois and how the bill is split between worker and employer.
| 2025 annual premium | Illinois total | Illinois worker share | Illinois employer share | US total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single coverage | $9,724 | $1,858 | $7,866 | $9,025 |
| Family coverage | $28,248 | $7,838 | $20,410 | $26,281 |
Source: KFF: Average annual single premium per enrolled employee and KFF: Average annual family premium per enrolled employee, checked October 27, 2026.
Spread over a year, the average Illinois worker share comes to about $155 a month for single coverage and $653 a month for family coverage (our calculation: $1,858 / 12 and $7,838 / 12). That is before deductibles and copays.
Income levels that decide your help
Get Covered Illinois sorts people into programs by income as a share of the federal poverty level. Its 2026 chart shows where the main cutoffs fall.
| Household size | 138% FPL, monthly | 138% FPL, yearly | 400% FPL, yearly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,835 | $22,024 | $62,600 |
| 2 | $2,488 | $29,863 | $84,600 |
| 3 | $3,141 | $37,701 | $106,600 |
| 4 | $3,795 | $45,540 | $128,600 |
Source: Get Covered Illinois: Program eligibility by federal poverty level for 2026, checked October 27, 2026.
Adults at or under 138% qualify for Medicaid. Children qualify for All Kids up to 318%, and pregnant people up to 213%. Above that, most people shop the marketplace, where federal premium tax credits can lower the price. The chart warns that some people approaching 400% may not qualify for those credits. The chart uses 2026 poverty figures for Medicaid and 2025 figures for the marketplace. Free help is at 1-866-311-1119 (Get Covered Illinois).
Cook County Health options: CountyCare and CareLink
If you qualify for Medicaid, CountyCare is Cook County’s largest Medicaid health plan, run by Cook County Health. It lists no copays and no-cost covered prescriptions at in-network pharmacies. Member services: 312-864-8200.
If you are uninsured and do not qualify for Medicaid, CareLink discounts care at Cook County Health sites:
- Open to Cook County residents ages 19 to 64 who have lived in the county at least 30 days. Immigration status does not block eligibility.
- A household of one gets a 100% discount with income up to $39,900 a year, and a 50% discount up to $55,860.
- Prescriptions are not covered, but the Cook County Health pharmacy fills its own prescriptions for $4 each.
- You apply in person with a financial counselor. Approval lasts up to 12 months. Call (866) 223-2817.
Related: the cost of raising a kid, renters insurance and the salary calculator.
Sources
- Illinois Department of Insurance: 2027 ACA rates
- Get Covered Illinois
- Get Covered Illinois: 2026 premium estimate
- healthinsurance.org: Illinois marketplace
- ACASignups: Illinois 2027 rates
- KFF: benchmark premiums by state
- KFF: premium subsidy changes
- KFF: Average annual single premium per enrolled employee for employer-based health insurance
- KFF: Average annual family premium per enrolled employee for employer-based health insurance
- Get Covered Illinois: Program eligibility by federal poverty level for 2026
- Get Covered Illinois
- CountyCare
- Cook County Health: CareLink