Cheapest ACA plans in Illinois for 2026

Cheapest plans by metal tier

Lowest 2026 monthly premium for a single 40-year-old non-tobacco user, on-exchange, before any subsidy. Per-age figures derived from the CMS QHP Landscape file using the HHS standardized age-rating curve (45 CFR 147.102).

The actual cheapest plan in major counties

Same data the search returns: carrier, plan name, monthly premium, individual deductible, individual MOOP. Computed for a single 40-year-old non-tobacco user, before any subsidy. Catastrophic plans excluded because adults 30+ typically need a hardship-exemption certificate to enroll.

The actual cheapest plan for a family of four

Two 40-year-old adults and two kids in the 0-14 age band, before any subsidy. Carrier, plan name, premium, deductible, and MOOP exactly as the search would return them.

Subsidies: federal APTC only (no state premium subsidy)

Illinois does not fund a supplemental state premium subsidy or §1332 reinsurance waiver. Marketplace help is federal only:

1. Federal Advance Premium Tax Credit (APTC). Households 100-400% FPL on the PY2026 standard ACA contribution curve, applied through Get Covered Illinois. The ARPA / IRA enhanced subsidies expired 2025-12-31 and are not in effect for 2026, so the hard 400% FPL cliff is back.
2. Federal cost-sharing reductions (CSRs). Households 100-250% FPL enrolled in a Silver plan receive reduced deductibles, copays, and out-of-pocket maximums automatically.

Illinois expanded Medicaid under the ACA effective January 1, 2014. Adults 19-64 up to 138% FPL qualify regardless of parental status or disability, administered by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), so there is no coverage gap in Illinois.

Catastrophic plans in Illinois follow federal rules

Illinois follows the federal ACA default: Catastrophic plans are available to enrollees under age 30, or at any age with a hardship / affordability exemption. The PY2026 federal auto-expansion applies: adults 30+ automatically qualify when the lowest-cost Bronze plan exceeds the affordability threshold. APTC does not apply to Catastrophic plans.

Tobacco surcharges follow the federal 1.5x default in Illinois

Illinois applies the federal ACA default (45 CFR 147.102): carriers may charge tobacco users up to 50% more than non-users (a 1.5-to-1 rate ratio). The Illinois Department of Insurance reviews rate filings under 215 ILCS 5. No Illinois-specific cap below the federal 1.5x ceiling has been identified. Federal APTC does not offset the tobacco portion of the premium.

Carriers selling 2026 plans in Illinois

7 carriers, 3,423 plans across 102 counties. 2,938 sold on Get Covered Illinois, 485 off-exchange-only direct from carriers. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois (HCSC) anchors the statewide individual market and is often the only on-exchange carrier in downstate counties. Ambetter (Celtic), Aetna CVS Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Cigna compete in Chicago-area counties (Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane, McHenry).

Enrollment

Open Enrollment for 2026 coverage on Get Covered Illinois runs November 1, 2025 through January 15, 2026. Enroll by December 15 for a January 1 effective date; December 16 through January 15 takes effect February 1. Special Enrollment is available year-round for qualifying life events.

Direct enrollment: getcoveredillinois.gov.

Frequently asked questions