Illinois Health Insurance Rates for 2027: What Is Changing
Average individual-market change
14% to 14.1%
Status
Final rates
Small-group average change
17.6%
Insurers filing
6
2027 out-of-pocket max
$12,000 / $24,000
Illinois' finalized 2027 individual-market increase averages about 14 percent, close to the national average, while small-group plans rise faster at about 18 percent. Six insurers filed individual plans, which gives Illinois more choice than many states.
Illinois moved to its own exchange, Get Covered Illinois, for the 2026 plan year, so residents no longer enroll through HealthCare.gov. That change matters for deadlines and for where you report income and household changes. Buyers in Chicago, the collar counties and downstate face very different plan lineups, because some insurers offer plans only in part of the state. Small business owners should look closely at the 17 percent average group increase; for a business with a few employees, an individual coverage HRA can sometimes be a better structure.
Private health insurance in Illinois
Most people I help in Illinois end up on a private plan, not a Marketplace plan. Private, medically underwritten health insurance is priced on your age, zip code and health instead of your income, so a strong year never raises your premium and there is no tax credit to pay back in April.
Why people leave the Marketplace
- Premiums keep climbing. Illinois Marketplace premiums are rising 14% to 14.1% on average for 2027.
- The subsidy cliff. Above 400 percent of the poverty level ($63,840 for one person, $132,000 for a family of four) you pay full price.
- Surprise tax bills. Underestimate your income and you repay the tax credit in April.
- Narrow networks. Many plans are local HMOs or EPOs that need referrals and cover little outside the area.
- High out-of-pocket costs. 2027 out-of-pocket maximums reach $12,000 per person and $24,000 per family.
- One window a year. Outside open enrollment you need a qualifying life event to enroll or switch.
What a private plan does differently
- Start any month. If approved, coverage can begin the first of next month, with no wait for open enrollment.
- Networks that travel. Many private plans use national PPO networks, which can give you in-network doctors outside Illinois too. Networks vary by plan.
- Can cost less than full-price Marketplace plans for some healthy applicants above the subsidy line.
- Accident coverage the Marketplace does not offer. A private plan can be paired with accident coverage, a separate policy. What it includes varies by plan.
- Approval is based on health. You answer health questions, and acceptance is not guaranteed.
With a significant health condition, or income low enough for a large tax credit, a Marketplace plan can be the better fit, and I will tell you if it is. Either way you see both side by side.
Private plans are not ACA Marketplace plans. Benefits, exclusions and pre-existing condition rules differ by plan and by state, so review the plan details before you enroll.
Get a private plan quoteLearn more: coverage not based on income · how underwriting works · private vs Obamacare · PPO plans for individuals · switching from the Marketplace
Who feels the Illinois increase
If your household gets a premium tax credit, your payment for the benchmark silver plan is capped as a share of income, so most of a rate increase is absorbed by a larger credit. If your household earns more than 400 percent of the poverty level for 2027, $63,840 for one person or $132,000 for a family of four, there is no credit and you pay the full 14% to 14.1% increase. The subsidy cliff guide explains the line. Healthy and above that line? Compare private health insurance in Illinois, priced on age, ZIP and health instead of income, if approved.
Where and when to enroll in Illinois
Illinois residents enroll through Get Covered Illinois, the state's own exchange, which publishes its own 2027 open enrollment dates. Private, medically underwritten plans are not tied to open enrollment and can start the first of any month if you are approved.
Illinois 2027 rate questions
How much are Illinois health insurance premiums rising in 2027?
About 14 percent on average for the individual market and about 18 percent for small-group plans, based on final rates.
Where do Illinois residents enroll for 2027?
Through Get Covered Illinois, the state's own exchange, which replaced HealthCare.gov starting with 2026 coverage.
Do all Illinois insurers sell statewide?
No. Some insurers offer plans only in certain counties, so plan choice differs between Chicago, the suburbs and downstate.
What is the 2027 out-of-pocket maximum for Illinois Marketplace plans?
The federal limit for 2027 is $12,000 for one person and $24,000 for a family, up from $10,600 and $21,200 in 2026. It applies to every ACA-compliant plan in Illinois, and individual plans can set a lower limit.
Sources: rate-filing trackers at healthinsurance.org (rechecked November 11, 2026) and ACASignups.net. Averages are across insurers; your own renewal depends on your plan, county and age. More on health insurance in Illinois. Esta página en español.
Other states
Written by Frank Caballero, licensed health insurance agent, NPN 21032307. Last updated November 11, 2026.