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Illinois Private Health Insurance vs. ACA: Which Is Right for You?
Most Illinoisans think there's one way to buy health insurance on your own: Get Covered Illinois. There are two. Here's how they actually differ.
How ACA plans work in Illinois
Marketplace plans are guaranteed-issue — every applicant is accepted regardless of health — and priced on income through the premium tax credit. Enrollment is limited to open enrollment (November 1 – January 15) unless you have a qualifying life event. Medicaid is expanded in Illinois. In Illinois, the marketplace carriers include Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Ambetter, Aetna CVS Health, and Oscar. Illinois has no state individual mandate.
How private plans work in Illinois
Private shared-network plans are sold outside the marketplace by carriers that lease access to national PPO networks — in Illinois, that's Cigna, Aetna and PHCS PPO. They're medically underwritten, which means a short health questionnaire, and priced on age and health rather than income. You can enroll any month of the year, coverage starts on the 1st, and the plans are month to month.
Side by side
| ACA / Get Covered Illinois | Private shared-network | |
|---|---|---|
| Priced on | Income | Age + health |
| Health questions | None | Short questionnaire |
| Pre-existing conditions | Covered | Can be declined or excluded |
| When to enroll | Nov 1 – Jan 15 or life event | Any month |
| Network | Often HMO, local | National PPO |
| Best for | Subsidy-eligible, any health | Healthy, above the subsidy line |
Which is right for you?
Two questions decide it. Do you qualify for a subsidy? If yes, the marketplace almost always wins. Are you healthy? If you don't get a subsidy and you are, a private PPO is usually less expensive with a broader network. If you don't get a subsidy and you have a serious condition, the marketplace is still the right answer. Illinois moved to its own state-run marketplace, Get Covered Illinois, for 2026 coverage, and Chicago-area marketplace plans are heavily HMO — one reason suburban business owners look at national PPOs.
Check your options and we'll show you both markets for your ZIP code, side by side.