Best Illinois Health Insurance (2024 Plans)


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Updated: September 5, 2024

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MoneyGeek Logo IconBest Health InsuranceIllinois
2024

Best Health Insurance in Illinois

Why Trust MoneyGeek? We downloaded plan data for Illinois directly from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). MoneyGeek’s scoring methodology balances costs, claims approval and plan types to find the best providers in the state.

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Plan data was updated with the CMS exchange data released in October 2023 for the 2024 enrollment period.

201Plans Analyzed
 
22Providers Compared

Best Overall for Health Insurance in Illinois

MercyCare Health Plans offers the best health insurance in Illinois with a MoneyGeek score of 80. This provider has affordable plan options, low out-of-pocket costs and denies fewer claims than other insurers.

For this analysis, we looked at 73 Silver plans, including HMO (Health Maintenance Organization), POS (Point of Service) and PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) plan types in Illinois.

MoneyGeek Pick: MercyCare Health Plans

MercyCare Health Plans

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Very low rate of claims denial

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Low maximum out-of-pocket costs

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Diverse range of plan types

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Limited variety of plan types available

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Premium rates not the most competitive

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in Illinois is MercyCare Health Plans. The provider offers three Silver HMO plans with an average monthly rate of $546. The average maximum out-of-pocket cost for these plans is $7,767. MercyCare features a low denial rate of 10%, lower than most of the competition.

MercyCare Health Plans provides Silver HMO plans. HMO plans typically require choosing a primary care physician and getting referrals to see specialists.

Plan Recommendations

MoneyGeek recommends the following Silver plans from MercyCare Health Plans:

  • MercyCare HMO Silver Option A: $543 per month; MOOP $8,800
  • MercyCare HMO Silver Standard: $545 per month; MOOP $9,100
  • MercyCare HMO Silver Option B: $550 per month; MOOP $5,400

Best Health Insurance in Illinois for Low Out-of-Pocket Costs

MercyCare Health Plans has the best health insurance in Illinois for low out-of-pocket costs, with a MoneyGeek score of 82 out of 100. The company offers affordable plan options. It also features low out-of-pocket costs and denies fewer claims than most other insurers in Illinois.

In Illinois, we evaluated 49 Gold HMO plans, three Gold POS plans, one Platinum POS plan and four Gold PPO plans for this analysis.

MoneyGeek Pick: MercyCare Health Plans

MercyCare Health Plans

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High affordability with premium rates

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Minimal out-of-pocket costs for members

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Very few claim denials by the insurer

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Limited plan variety

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in Illinois for low out-of-pocket costs is MercyCare Health Plans. This insurer offers two Gold HMO plans. HMOs provide a network of doctors and hospitals to choose from but have limited flexibility for seeing providers without a referral.

MercyCare Health Plans offer an average plan rate of $572, and the average maximum out-of-pocket cost for these plans is $5,950. This insurer also features a denial rate of about 10%, beating out most of its competition.

Plan Recommendations

MoneyGeek recommends the following Gold plans from MercyCare Health Plans:

  • MercyCare HMO Gold Option B: $577 per month; MOOP $3,200
  • MercyCare HMO Gold Standard: $566 per month; MOOP $8,700

Best Cheap Health Insurance in Illinois

Ambetter is the best provider of cheap health insurance in Illinois, with a MoneyGeek score of 78 out of 100. The provider offers plans that cost less on average, minimizes out-of-pocket costs and denies claims less often than most other providers.

In this analysis, MoneyGeek looked at 73 Silver plans in Illinois. The team reviewed 63 Silver HMO, three Silver POS and seven Silver PPO plans. MoneyGeek focused on plans with lower monthly premiums when deciding which is the best, but plans with lower premiums usually have higher out-of-pocket costs.

MoneyGeek Pick: Ambetter

Ambetter

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Highly affordable premium rates

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Denies few claims

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Low out-of-pocket maximum costs

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Limited plan types available

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek's top pick for the best cheap health insurance in Illinois is Ambetter. It offers eight different Silver HMO plans. HMO plans usually require you to stay within the network to receive coverage.

This provider offers an average plan rate of $485, while the average maximum out-of-pocket cost for these plans is $7,850. Ambetter also has a denial rate of 15%, lower than most of the competition.

Plan Recommendations

MoneyGeek recommends the following cheap Silver plans from Ambetter:

  • Clear Silver: $464 per month; MOOP $5,400
  • Clear Silver + Vision + Adult Dental: $479 per month; MOOP $5,400
  • Standard Silver: $467 per month; MOOP $9,100

Best Health Insurance for Low Income in Illinois

Ambetter offers the best health insurance in Illinois for those with low income, earning a MoneyGeek score of 75 out of 100. This provider has lower-than-average rates for plans, lower out-of-pocket costs and fewer claim denials than many other providers in Illinois.

We analyzed 63 HMO, three POS and seven PPO Silver CSR (cost-sharing reduction) plans for this category in Illinois.

MoneyGeek emphasized plans with low monthly premiums and included only those with CSRs to determine the best option for those with lower incomes. CSRs reduce out-of-pocket spending and deductible amounts if you earn within certain income ranges relative to the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), allowing you more savings even with lower premiums. Whereas a typical Silver plan covers about 70% of health care costs, for CSR Silver plans, the percentage covered varies:

  • Earnings between $27,180 and $33,975 per year (201–250% of FPL): Expect 73% of health insurance costs covered.
  • Earnings between $20,385 and $27,180 per year (151–200% of FPL): Expect 87% of costs covered.
  • Earnings less than $20,385 per year (up to 150% of FPL): Expect 94% of costs covered.

The income brackets for these percentages change if more or fewer people are in your household.

MoneyGeek Pick: Ambetter

Ambetter

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Low premium rates

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Low out-of-pocket costs

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Few claims denied

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in Illinois for people with lower incomes is Ambetter. This provider offers cost-effective plans for individuals earning under 250% of the federal poverty level.

Ambetter has many Silver CSR plans available at an average rate of $485 per month. Its average maximum out-of-pocket cost is $6,513. The company's denial rate is 15%, which means it approves claims more frequently than competitors.

Plan Recommendations

Ambetter's top-rated plan offers lower out-of-pocket expenses for the same premium for people in different income brackets. Here are some of the lower overall out-of-pocket costs based on income levels:

  • 201–250% of the FPL: $464 per month; $4,600 MOOP
  • 151–200% of the FPL: $464 per month; $1,600 MOOP
  • Up to 150% of the FPL: $464 per month; $550 MOOP

Best Health Insurance for Young Adults in Illinois

Health Alliance provides the best health insurance in Illinois for young adults, with a MoneyGeek score of 75 out of 100.

Health Alliance has low out-of-pocket costs and is better at not denying claims compared to the average. Remember, only individuals under the age of 30 can purchase Catastrophic plans.

For this category in Illinois, we evaluated five Catastrophic HMO plans, one Catastrophic PPO plan, 54 Expanded Bronze HMO plans, three Expanded Bronze POS plans and eight Expanded Bronze PPO plans for young adults.

MoneyGeek Pick: Health Alliance

Health Alliance

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Exceptionally low claim denial rate

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Minimized out-of-pocket expenses

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Broad variety of plan types

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

Health Alliance is the top pick for young adults looking for health insurance in Illinois. The company provides one Catastrophic plan and three Expanded Bronze plans. It offers an average plan rate of $431, and the average maximum out-of-pocket cost for these plans is $8,738.

Health Alliance also offers POS plans, which tend to include more out-of-network coverage. The company's denial rate is about 12%, which is lower than most of the competition.

Plan Recommendations

MoneyGeek recommends the following Health Alliance plans for young adults:

  • 2024 POS HSA 7100 Elite Bronze: $384 per month for 18-year-olds and $431 per month for 26-year-olds; MOOP $7,100
  • 2024 HMO 9450 Elite Catastrophic: $299 per month for 18-year-olds and $335 per month for 26-year-olds; MOOP $9,450
  • 2024 POS 6500 Elite Bronze: $398 per month for 18-year-olds and $447 per month for 26-year-olds; MOOP $9,000

Best Health Insurance by Plan Type in Illinois

Health insurance companies have different kinds of plans. The best providers for all plan categories in Illinois are:

  • PPO: Aetna (MoneyGeek score: 60 out of 100)
  • POS: Health Alliance (MoneyGeek score: 100 out of 100)
  • HMO: MercyCare Health Plans (MoneyGeek score: 89 out of 100)

MoneyGeek's analysis only included Silver plans when making these recommendations. Silver plans are suitable for individuals who need medical services often. They also balance the monthly payment and the out-of-pocket costs when you get medical care.

In Illinois, 63 HMO, three POS and seven PPO Silver plans are available.

MoneyGeek Pick for PPO: Aetna

Aetna Medicare
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in Illinois for Silver PPO plans is Aetna. It offers 4 Silver PPO plans. It provides an average monthly plan rate of $659, and the average maximum out-of-pocket cost for these plans is $8,810. However, Aetna has a denial rate of 21%, which means it denies more claims than the average provider.

PPO plans allow you to choose your own doctors without needing a referral for specialists. The downside is these plans often cost more than HMO plans. So they're great for people who want flexibility and are okay with paying a bit extra.

Plan Recommendations

We suggest the following Silver PPO plans from Aetna:

  • Silver 6 PPO: Aetna network of doctors + $0 MinuteClinic® visits: $659 per month; MOOP $8,445
  • Silver 7 PPO: Aetna network of doctors + $0 MinuteClinic® visits: $660 per month; MOOP $8,845

MoneyGeek Pick for POS: Health Alliance

Health Alliance
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in Illinois for Silver POS plans is Health Alliance. It has three Silver POS plans available. It offers an average monthly plan rate of $732, and the average maximum out-of-pocket cost for these plans is $8,817. The provider has a denial rate of about 12%, which means it denies fewer claims than average.

POS plans let people choose doctors inside or outside their network, though going outside the network costs more. This can be suitable if you want low-cost options and the choice to see different doctors. However, these plans are less common than others, and sometimes, you might have to pay more to use doctors outside your network.

Plan Recommendations

We suggest the following Silver POS plans from Health Alliance:

  • 2024 POS 7250 Elite Silver: $733 per month; MOOP $8,600
  • 2024 POS 4200 Elite Silver: $767 per month; MOOP $8,750

MoneyGeek Pick for HMO: MercyCare Health Plans

MercyCare Health Plans
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in Illinois for Silver HMO plans is MercyCare Health Plans. It offers an average monthly plan rate of $546, and the average maximum out-of-pocket cost for these plans is $7,767. The provider's denial rate is 10%, which is lower than average.

Silver HMO plans tend to have cheaper monthly costs, which can benefit your wallet. However, to get expense coverage, you'll need to stick to doctors and hospitals within the plan's network except in an emergency. You'll also need a referral from your primary doctor to see a specialist. HMOs can help you save money if the doctors you need are in-network, but they are not as flexible if you want to choose doctors outside the network.

Plan Recommendations

We suggest the following Silver HMO plans from MercyCare Health Plans:

  • MercyCare HMO Silver Option B: $550 per month; MOOP $5,400
  • MercyCare HMO Silver Option A: $543 per month; MOOP $8,800

Best Short-Term Health Insurance in Illinois

National General Accident & Health, which received a MoneyGeek score of 95 out of 100, provides the best short-term health insurance in Illinois. Since short-term health insurance does not provide all the necessary health benefits that Affordable Care Act (ACA)-compliant plans do, it's only recommended for people wishing to address temporary coverage gaps.

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MoneyGeek Top Pick: National General Accident & Health
National General Accident & Health

National General Accident & Health stands out because it offers a wide range of plan options to accommodate various health care demands. The company offers plans for high-risk patients with modest co-insurance and out-of-pocket expenses. Plans can have durations of three months to three years and offer several options for cost-sharing and prescription drug coverage.

How to Find the Best Health Insurance for You in Illinois

The Illinois health insurance provider that is the ideal fit for you will depend on your spending limit and your coverage requirements. The following recommendations can be helpful when planning to get health insurance.

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    Understand when a health insurance plan will cover you

    When you go to a doctor that's in your health plan's network, it costs you less. If you go to one that's not in your network, it might cost more. Health plans can be different in how they let you choose your doctors. Some plans in Illinois let you pick any doctor, but others have rules on which doctors you can see without paying extra money.

    In Illinois, 63 HMO, seven PPO and three POS plans are available. Generally, HMO plans are cheaper but less flexible when accessing specialists and covering out-of-network care. PPO and POS plans offer more freedom — as they cover some costs of out-of-network care — but they can be more expensive.

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    Weigh the cost of premiums vs. the cost of care

    When looking for health insurance, finding the right plan for you means looking at both the monthly costs and how much you pay if you get sick. Some plans cost less each month, but if you need lots of care, you could pay more in the end. For example, the MercyCare HMO Silver Option B plan has a lower limit on what you pay when you're sick than the other Silver plans from MercyCare. Even though it costs a little more each month, $550 compared to the average of $546 from the same provider, it has a lower out-of-pocket limit of $5,400. This can be a good deal if the provider network suits you.

Consider Illinois Medicare or Medicaid if You’re Eligible

Medicare, which can greatly lower medical expenses, may be available to individuals who are 65 or older or who have a qualifying disability or sickness. This is a federal program that offsets the costs of medical care and includes the following parts:

  • Part A (Hospital Insurance): This is hospital insurance that covers inpatient stays, hospice care and nursing home care.
  • Part B (Medical Insurance): This type of medical insurance covers outpatient care, physician costs, preventative services and medical supplies.
  • Part D (Prescription Drug Coverage): This helps cover the cost of prescription medications and vaccinations.

In addition, MoneyGeek has in-depth resources for finding the best Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans in Illinois.

Medicaid, another federal program, provides health coverage to individuals with low income. Illinois individuals earning less than 138% of the federal poverty level are eligible for this public health insurance plan. Medicaid is an affordable health insurance alternative that can cover the majority if not all, eligible medical expenses.

FAQ About Health Insurance in Illinois

Finding an ideal health insurance plan can be complicated due to concerns about price and availability. MoneyGeek answers some frequently asked questions to help you research options.

What is the best health insurance provider in Illinois for 2024?
What should you look for when shopping for the best health insurance plan in Illinois?

About Mark Fitzpatrick


Mark Fitzpatrick headshot

Mark Fitzpatrick is a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer and MoneyGeek's Head of Insurance. He has analyzed the insurance market for over five years, conducting original research and creating personalized content for every kind of buyer. He has been quoted in several insurance-related publications, including CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.

Fitzpatrick earned a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He is passionate about using his knowledge of economics and insurance to bring transparency around financial topics and help others feel confident in their money moves.