Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum plans that cover all ten essential health benefits — with premium tax credits for about 4 in 5 enrollees.
Not a government marketplace. Health Enrollment Center is operated by Sprinter Insurance Agency LLC.
Illinois expanded Medicaid in 2014, so lower-income residents often qualify for no-cost coverage, while everyone above that line enrolls in marketplace plans where roughly 90% receive a premium tax credit. As of the 2026 plan year Illinois runs its own marketplace, Get Covered Illinois, at getcovered.illinois.gov — it replaced HealthCare.gov for Illinois residents, and existing HealthCare.gov accounts were migrated over. The metal tiers, essential health benefits and premium tax credits did not change; the enrollment front door did.
Every ACA marketplace plan sold in Illinois is guaranteed-issue and covers pre-existing conditions, preventive care, prescriptions, maternity, mental health and the rest of the ten essential health benefits. Plans are grouped into metal tiers — Bronze (lowest premium, highest out-of-pocket), Silver (the tier subsidies are calculated against, and the only tier eligible for cost-sharing reductions), Gold and Platinum.
The premium tax credit is what makes marketplace coverage affordable. It's based on your household income relative to the cost of the benchmark Silver plan where you live, so two families with the same income can get very different credits depending on their ZIP code. A licensed agent runs that math with you before you enroll — there is no charge, and the plan price is identical to enrolling on your own.
If your income lands between roughly 100% and 250% of the federal poverty level, a Silver plan also unlocks cost-sharing reductions that quietly lower your deductible and copays. Most people never realize they're leaving that on the table by picking Bronze on price alone. That's the kind of thing a good agent catches.
Illinois runs its own exchange, Get Covered Illinois, rather than using HealthCare.gov. That matters more than it sounds: state-based exchanges set their own Open Enrollment dates, can recognize special enrollment situations the federal marketplace does not, and sometimes administer state-only programs that have no federal equivalent. Check the Get Covered Illinois calendar rather than assuming the federal dates apply to you. Illinois runs its own state-based marketplace, Get Covered Illinois, which replaced HealthCare.gov for Illinois residents starting with the 2026 plan year. The plans and premium tax credits are the same — only the enrollment site changed.
In Illinois the premium tax credit does the work for households above roughly 138% of the federal poverty level; below it the state's Medicaid expansion picks up, and a single application screens for both. For the above-poverty reader the practical point is simply to estimate income accurately — over-shrinking it at application is what accidentally routes people to Medicaid instead of the subsidized plan they were after. Illinois expanded Medicaid in 2014, so lower-income adults may qualify for no-cost coverage. Above that threshold, marketplace premium tax credits take over — we'll help you find where you land.
The carriers writing individual business in Illinois include Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Aetna CVS Health, Ambetter from Meridian, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna and others. Networks and pricing are set county by county rather than statewide, so the same carrier can be the best value in one metro and the wrong choice an hour away. We quote Chicago, Aurora, Rockford and Peoria — and every county in between.
Don't see yours? Call a licensed agent — most answers take under two minutes.
Yes. We help Illinois residents compare ACA marketplace options against the alternatives so you can see the real trade-offs before you enroll.
Yes. Get Covered Illinois is Illinois's own state-based marketplace, and as of the 2026 plan year it has replaced HealthCare.gov for Illinois residents — enrollment runs at getcovered.illinois.gov. If you had a HealthCare.gov account, it was migrated. The plans and premium tax credits are the same, a licensed agent can enroll you at no extra cost, and we can also show private off-exchange plans.
Through Get Covered Illinois, the exchange Illinois runs itself — not HealthCare.gov. A licensed agent can enroll you in the same plans at the same price. Because Illinois sets its own calendar, check the Open Enrollment dates against Get Covered Illinois rather than assuming the federal ones apply to you.
The carriers writing individual business in Illinois include Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Aetna CVS Health, Ambetter from Meridian, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna and others. Which of them is actually competitive depends on your county rather than the state — the lineup and the networks in Chicago are not the lineup in Peoria. We are independent and compare across all of them rather than steering you to one company.
Start with your ZIP. Two quick questions, then a licensed agent brings you the plans you actually qualify for — no cost, no obligation.