Health insurance help for Illinois residents
Compare Medicare, health insurance marketplace plans and Medicaid in Illinois, with a guide for every county and each major city, reviewed by a licensed agent.
- Reviewed by Richard Lander, licensed agent (NPN 21255551)
- No cost to call
- No obligation to enroll
What is different about coverage in Illinois
Illinois Medicaid is run by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, and as of November 2025 Illinois runs its own state-based ACA marketplace, Get Covered Illinois, replacing the federal HealthCare.gov site. Illinois Medical Coverage is free to use for Illinois callers working through Medicare, ACA, life, or supplemental coverage questions.
- Illinois Medicaid is administered by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) -- HFS is the right place to start if your Illinois Medicaid eligibility changed.
- Illinois switched from the federal HealthCare.gov Marketplace to its own new state-based marketplace, Get Covered Illinois, effective November 1, 2025 -- Illinois ACA shopping now happens on the new state site.
- Free Medicare counseling is available in Illinois through the Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) at 800-252-8966, run by the Illinois Department on Aging and separate from Illinois Medical Coverage's own free phone help.
Worth knowing: Illinois is one of the most recent states to move off the federal Marketplace -- Get Covered Illinois only replaced HealthCare.gov as of the November 2025 open enrollment period, so older search results or bookmarks pointing to HealthCare.gov for Illinois are now out of date.
Coverage questions we help Illinois residents with
Health plans (ACA marketplace)
How Illinois’s marketplace works, who qualifies for help with costs, and when you can enroll.
Medicare
Turning 65, Medicare Advantage, Medigap and drug plans, with Illinois’s free counseling program.
Medicaid
Where to apply in Illinois, and what to do when your coverage changes.
Illinois by county
Medicare Advantage plans and marketplace premiums are set county by county, so the plans open to you depend on where in Illinois you live. Start with your county.
Major Illinois cities
Illinois colleges and universities
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- University of Illinois Chicago
- Illinois State University
- Northern Illinois University
- Southern Illinois University
- Western Illinois University
State bird: Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis. Illinois’s official state bird, shown here as a local touch.
Photo: Rhododendrites (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia CommonsCommon Illinois questions
Where do I shop for ACA health plans in Illinois?
Illinois residents shop through Get Covered Illinois (https://getcovered.illinois.gov). An independent agent such as Lander LLC can explain the plans for you, but the marketplace is the only place premium tax credits are applied.
How do I apply for Medicaid in Illinois?
Medicaid in Illinois is run through Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) (https://hfs.illinois.gov). Eligibility depends on income, household size and other factors, and it is decided by the state, not by an insurance agency.
Who regulates insurance in Illinois?
Illinois Department of Insurance (https://idoi.illinois.gov/consumers.html) regulates insurance companies and agents in Illinois. You can use it to check that an agent or company is licensed and to file a complaint.
Is there free, unbiased Medicare help in Illinois?
Yes. Illinois Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) (800-252-8966) offers free Medicare counseling through the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), separate from any insurance agency.
Does Illinois Medical Coverage cost anything to use?
There is no cost to call or to speak with an agent. Insurance premiums and plan costs are set by the insurance companies and are separate from our help.
Talk with a licensed agent about Illinois coverage
Call Lander LLC to go over your options. There is no cost to call or to speak with an agent, and you are never required to enroll in anything.
Call 855-367-1095Reviewed by Richard Lander, licensed insurance agent (NPN 21255551), Lander LLC. Last updated October 3, 2026. This page is educational and is not a quote, an offer of coverage, or legal or tax advice.