Question 1

When is Open Enrollment for 2027 health insurance in Illinois?

Accepted Answer

Illinois runs its own state-based Marketplace, Get Covered Illinois, rather than using HealthCare.gov for individual enrollment. Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage is November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027. Enroll or change by December 15, 2026 for coverage that starts January 1, 2027. Enrollments from December 16, 2026 through January 15, 2027 generally start February 1, 2027. After January 15, 2027, you usually need a Special Enrollment Period.

Question 2

Is this website only for Illinois residents?

Accepted Answer

Yes. illinoisprivatehealthconnected.com is a standalone Illinois site. It is not written for any other state, and it should not surface for searches about other states. Plan availability in Illinois depends on your county and ZIP code.

Question 3

Can I buy individual health insurance in Illinois off the Exchange?

Accepted Answer

Yes. If you are not eligible for Advanced Premium Tax Credits, or you do not want to use them, you can often buy an ACA plan off the Exchange from an insurer or through an agent. Off-Exchange-only plans are still ACA plans when they are filed that way, but they are not eligible for federal premium subsidies or the enhanced benefits that run through Get Covered Illinois.

Question 4

Do I qualify for a premium tax credit?

Accepted Answer

Only an official Marketplace eligibility determination can answer that for your household. Credits, when available, apply to eligible Get Covered Illinois plans — not to off-Exchange ACA plans and not to short-term policies. Temporary enhanced credits from earlier years have ended; standard credits may still apply if you qualify. We can help you start that check. We will not invent a monthly credit amount on this website.

Question 5

What official premium or rate-change figures have been published for Illinois for 2027?

Accepted Answer

The Illinois Department of Insurance’s 2027 analysis of on-Exchange plans reports an 11% average rate change across all rating areas for the second-lowest-cost Silver plans. This is a published average change for a benchmark Silver-plan metric. It does not include premium tax credits, and it is not a quote for any household.

Question 6

Which companies sell individual ACA plans in Illinois in 2027?

Accepted Answer

Issuers that offered individual Marketplace (on-Exchange) medical plans in Illinois for plan year 2027, compiled from official sources cited on the Carriers page. A company may also sell off the Exchange. You must live in the plan’s approved service area. This agency is appointed with these issuers and with the other Illinois Marketplace/ACA issuers from plan years 2020–2027 listed on the Carriers page. An appointment does not mean every plan is available in every Illinois county or ZIP code.

Question 7

Is short-term health insurance ACA coverage?

Accepted Answer

No. Short-term limited-duration insurance is not required to comply with ACA protections, is not minimum essential coverage, and does not qualify for premium tax credits. Insurers may deny applications because of medical history, and most of these plans do not cover pre-existing conditions. Expiration of a short-term plan does not by itself create a Marketplace Special Enrollment Period.

Question 8

How long can a short-term plan last in Illinois?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the product being offered and on current federal and Illinois rules, which have changed in recent years. In August 2025, federal agencies said they do not intend to prioritize enforcement of the 2024 federal short-term definition pending new rulemaking. Ask for the duration actually being offered and read the outline of coverage; this site will not promise a particular term length.

Question 9

When can I enroll outside Open Enrollment?

Accepted Answer

If you have a qualifying life event, you may get a Special Enrollment Period. Examples include certain household changes (marriage; birth, adoption, or foster placement; divorce or separation when you lose coverage), a qualifying move, loss of qualifying health coverage (generally within the past 60 days, or expected in the next 60 days; often 90 days after losing Medicaid or CHIP), or an offer of an individual coverage HRA. Some events have specific effective-date rules. Losing short-term coverage is not, by itself, a qualifying event.

Question 10

What are essential health benefits?

Accepted Answer

They are the ten benefit categories ACA individual and small-group plans must cover: outpatient (ambulatory) care, emergency services, hospitalization, maternity and newborn care, mental health and substance use disorder services including behavioral health treatment, prescription drugs, rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices, laboratory services, preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management, and pediatric services including oral and vision care.

Question 11

Who is the agent behind this Illinois site?

Accepted Answer

Adam Chidel is a licensed health insurance agent, CEO of Titan Legacy Insurance Brokerage and President of Chidel Family Insurance Inc. His National Producer Number is 18746906. He is based in Tampa, FL. Call 813-909-5628 or email achidel@titanlegacyins.com. His Florida resident insurance license number is W477560. His Florida license type is 2-15 Resident Health & Life (Including Annuities & Variable Contracts). Office hours are 8am–8pm ET. Our licensed team serves clients in all 50 states. This website is written for Illinois residents only. You can verify a Florida license on the DFS Licensee Search.

Question 12

Are you affiliated with Get Covered Illinois or Illinois regulators?

Accepted Answer

No. This is a private agency website. We are not affiliated with Get Covered Illinois, HealthCare.gov, HHS, CMS, or the Illinois Department of Insurance. Official applications and official plan-comparison tools live on those government sites. We cite them so you can check our facts.

Question 13

Why should I work with a broker instead of picking a plan on my own?

Accepted Answer

Twenty-five active licensed professionals work for you, the consumer, to find the carrier and policy that best fit your needs. As brokers, we are unbiased about which carrier you choose. We help you understand your options, narrow them down, submit applications, and work toward approval for coverage that balances what you pay in total each year — premium, deductible, copays, and prescriptions — against the benefits you receive. Insurance is not black and white. A 30-year-old who mainly goes in for an annual physical and a 55-year-old who takes several brand-name medications and hits a deductible every year should not expect the same year-long cost, or the same “best” plan. On ACA and Marketplace plans, the monthly premium cannot be based on your health or medical history; it may vary only by age, where you live, tobacco use, and whether the plan covers dependents. What still differs — often by a lot — is what you pay when you actually use care. Some private, medically underwritten (non-ACA) plans may consider health history, which can favor a healthier applicant and can mean a decline or a different price if you have significant conditions. ACA plans remain guaranteed issue regardless of health. We compare the total yearly picture, not just the premium.

Question 14

Can ACA Marketplace plans charge a higher premium because of my health?

Accepted Answer

No. Affordable Care Act and Marketplace plans cannot set your premium based on your health, medical history, or sex. Those premiums may vary only by age, location (rating area), tobacco use, and whether the plan covers an individual or a family. Total yearly cost can still differ a lot because deductibles, copays, coinsurance, and prescription costs depend on how you use care, so the plan that fits is often not the cheapest monthly premium. Some private, medically underwritten (non-ACA) plans may use health history in underwriting and pricing, which can favor a healthier applicant and can mean a decline or a different price if you have significant conditions. ACA plans remain guaranteed issue regardless of health.

Question 15

Which carriers is this agency appointed with in Illinois?

Accepted Answer

We are appointed with the issuers that offered individual ACA or Marketplace plans in Illinois in plan years 2020 through 2027, grouped by brand on our Carriers page, and with private PPO and other carriers including, but not limited to, the private names listed on that page. PHCS/MultiPlan is a PPO network, not a carrier. We also work with individual and small-business private options for self-employed people. An appointment does not mean every plan is available in every county or ZIP code, and some private brands are not sold in every state.

Question 16

What are your office hours?

Accepted Answer

We are available 8am–8pm ET. Call or email and we will respond during those hours.

Carriers we’re appointed with

Illinois Marketplace and ACA individual issuers, plan years 2020–2027

Private PPO and other non-Marketplace appointments