Health Insurance When Moving to Illinois
Moving to Illinois means your old health plan's network probably will not follow you. The fastest fix for a healthy person is often a private plan, which can start the first of any month if approved, without waiting for a qualifying-event review. Illinois Marketplace premiums are rising 14% to 14.1% on average for 2027.
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 is moving to Illinois
Illinois still loses residents to other states, but the losses are shrinking. Net domestic migration was about minus 40,000 in the year ending July 2025, down from nearly minus 150,000 in 2022, and immigration kept the population growing slightly. Newcomers from other states came mainly from Texas, California, Wisconsin and Indiana in 2024, while Indiana, Florida and Wisconsin drew the most people leaving. Champaign-Urbana has been the fastest-growing metro since 2020, and Kendall County, southwest of Chicago, has grown about 10 percent, the fastest of any Illinois county with more than 20,000 people.
Getting covered after you move to Illinois
New Illinois residents enroll through Get Covered Illinois, which requires that you live in the state. A move opens a 60-day special enrollment window if you had health coverage for at least one day in the 60 days before moving, and your proof of address and prior coverage must be approved before you can shop. Plan choices change by county across 13 rating areas, and in 2026 only one insurer covered the whole state. Coverage starts the first of the month after you choose a plan, and you can drive on an out-of-state license for your first 90 days.
The Illinois individual market at a glance
Illinois buyers use Get Covered Illinois, the state's own exchange since the 2026 plan year. Final 2027 individual rates rise about 14 percent on average across five insurers, and two insurers are leaving the exchange, so some enrollees must pick new plans. Illinois now requires prior approval of individual and small-group rates. The state banned short-term plans in 2025, so the alternatives to Marketplace coverage are private, medically underwritten plans and employer or union coverage. Continuation rights are relatively strong: 12 months for employees, and up to two years, or until Medicare for those 55 and older, for divorced or widowed spouses.
Other Illinois rules to know
- Short-term plans: Illinois banned new short-term health plans starting January 1, 2025.
- Where to enroll: Illinois uses its own exchange, Get Covered Illinois, which replaced HealthCare.gov for 2026. Get Covered Illinois sets its own open enrollment dates; check its site for 2027 deadlines. Private, medically underwritten plans can start the first of any month if approved.
- 2027 rates: individual plans 14% to 14.1% on average, small-group plans about 17.6%. See the Illinois 2027 rate page.
The moving special enrollment period
A permanent move to a new state usually opens a 60-day Marketplace special enrollment period, but only if you had qualifying coverage for at least one day in the 60 days before the move. Without that prior coverage, you may have to wait for open enrollment.
Why many movers go private
A private, medically underwritten plan does not need a qualifying event, can start the first of any month if approved and is priced on health, not income. Many use national PPO networks, which help while you are still traveling between your old and new homes. Private plans are not Marketplace plans, so review the benefits and pre-existing condition rules.
Keep coverage continuous
Do not cancel your old plan until the new one starts. A one-month gap can cost far more than an overlapping premium.
For 2027 the Marketplace credit stops at 400 percent of the poverty level: $63,840 for one person, $86,560 for two and $132,000 for a family of four. The out-of-pocket maximum for 2027 Marketplace plans is $12,000 for one person and $24,000 for a family. The full guide covers the rest.
Compare Illinois plans
Licensed in Illinois. Private plans priced first, Marketplace alongside when it fits. No fee.
Illinois questions
Where do Illinois residents enroll in 2027 coverage?
Illinois uses its own exchange, Get Covered Illinois, which replaced HealthCare.gov for 2026. Get Covered Illinois sets its own open enrollment dates; check its site for 2027 deadlines.
What continuation rights does Illinois give after leaving a small employer?
Illinois requires insured group plans to offer up to 12 months of continuation after three months of coverage, and gives divorced or widowed spouses up to two years, or until Medicare if they are 55 or older.
How much are Illinois premiums rising for 2027?
Individual-market premiums are set to rise 14% to 14.1% on average, and small-group plans about 17.6%.
Does moving to a new state let me change health insurance?
Usually. A permanent move opens a 60-day Marketplace special enrollment period if you had qualifying coverage in the 60 days before the move. If approved, private plans can start any month regardless.
Can I keep my old state's health plan after I move?
Individual plans are sold by state and area, so most will not work well after a permanent move, apart from emergencies. Plan to switch soon after you arrive.
Sources: www2.census.gov, www2.census.gov, getcovered.illinois.gov, idoi.illinois.gov. Facts checked October 2026. See all Illinois health insurance rules.
Moving here in other states
Written by Frank Caballero, licensed health insurance agent in Illinois and 30 other states, NPN 21032307.