Open enrollment for Illinois health insurance marketplace closes Jan. 15

Jan. 15—DIXON — The window for Illinois residents to enroll in a health insurance plan through the state is nearly closed.

The final day to enroll in health insurance through the Get Covered Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace is Wednesday, Jan. 15. However, residents who experience a qualifying life event, including getting married, losing job-based coverage, having a child, adopting a child or moving, may still be eligible to enroll after open enrollment ends.

Coverage for customers who enroll by the Jan. 15 deadline will begin on Feb. 1. Financial assistance is also available for eligible customers who buy their health insurance at GetCoveredIllinois.gov.

Get Covered Illinois is a division of the Illinois Department of Insurance and is the official state health insurance marketplace run by the federal government. GCI is transitioning to become a fully independent state-based marketplace.

"A majority of consumers can find health plans on the Marketplace for $10 or less a month," IDOI Director Ann Gillespie said. "The advanced premium tax credits available through the American Rescue Plan Act have made health coverage more affordable for thousands of Illinois residents and families."

GCI also offers free enrollment assistance. Plans purchased through Get Covered Illinois comply with the Affordable Care Act, covering essential benefits such as pre-existing conditions and providing preventative care at no additional cost.

Individuals without health insurance still have the right to emergency medical services. Under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, any hospital emergency department receiving Medicare funds must:

* Provide a qualified health professional to check for an emergency medical condition.

* Treat any found emergency medical condition until it is stable.

* If the condition cannot be stabilized by the available staff and facility, the hospital will transfer the patient to one that can.

Additionally, the Hospital Uninsured Patients Discount Act provides discounts of up to 100% on medically necessary services provided at Illinois hospitals for uninsured patients at qualifying income levels.

For information, visit GetCoveredIllinois.gov.

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