2026 ACA open enrollment ends January 15, 2026 for February 1, 2026 effective dates.

As of January 1, 2026, the state of Illinois will move from HealthCare.gov to their own state-based health insurance marketplace at GetCovered.Illinois.gov. If you live in Illinois and have an existing individual ACA-qualified (“Obamacare”) health insurance policy via Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Ambetter (a.k.a. Celtic), United Healthcare or Cigna. Please log in to that site to view your existing coverage and shop for 2026 individual ACA-qualified health insurance policies. The last date to enroll is January 15, 2026 for a February 1, 2026 effective date. If you do not wish to change your Illinois plan for 2026, most policies will renew automatically for 2026 as is normal protocol.

Residents of all other states, click here or click the Blue Cross logo to shop for 2026 ACA-qualified individual health insurance policies. The last date to enroll is January 15, 2026 for a February 1, 2026 effective date. Depending on your A.G.I. you may qualify for one or both federal subsidies. If you do not wish to change your plan for 2026, most policies will renew automatically for 2026 as is normal protocol.

New improvements for 2026 include the addition of the Northwestern Medical Group, the Endeavor Health Medical Group and Rush University Medical Center into the Blue Choice Preferred PPO network. As in past years, the entire Advocate Medical Group will remain outside of the PPO network for 2026. To gain access to the Advocate Medical Group you must purchase the BlueCare Direct with Advocate plans. We do not recommend doing so because the BlueCare Direct HMO network is the smallest and most restrictive Blue Cross HMO network. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois was named one of America’s best insurance companies by Forbes.

Determining your eligibility for federal health insurance subsidies.

Depending on your total household M.A.G.I. – Modified Adjusted Gross Income – you may qualify for one or both federal subsidies. The first being an A.P.T.C. – Advance Premium Tax Credit – which reduces monthly premiums. The second being C.S.R. – Cost Sharing Reduction – which reduces out of pocket costs but only on Silver level plans.

PLEASE NOTE: If your income is lower than the Federal Poverty Level Information in your state, which is less than 138% of the FPL – Federal Poverty Level in states that expanded Medicaid and less than 100% of the FPL in states that did not. You will be offered Medicaid and as such will not be able to qualify for subsidized private health insurance. You can purchase private health insurance even if you qualify for Medicaid but you must do so without a subsidy. Click the chart below to determine the current Federal Poverty Level & percentages above it.

PLEASE NOTE: If you qualify for a federal health insurance subsidy and your state has expanded CHIP – Children’s Health Insurance Plan and your A.G.I. is lower than 138% above the F.P.L. – Federal Poverty Level (see chart above.) You will not be able to insure your children on your policy if they are under the age of 19. Healthcare.gov will instead send a referral to your state’s CHIP – Children’s Health Insurance Plan. In Illinois, that program is “All Kids Covered“. There will most likely be no premium required to insure your children. There will also be little to no copays or deductibles required. You may wish to purchase a Child Only health insurance policy instead at full price for your children if you cannot find a Pediatrician who will accept “All Kids Covered”.

Preventive Care: All ACA-qualified (Obamacare) health insurance policies must cover all of these preventive care tests and exams at no cost to you. Click on “For all Adults”, “For Women” & “For Children” to see entire list.

2026 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois individual health insurance

As in past years, the entire Advocate Medical Group will remain outside of the Blue Choice Preferred PPO network and the Blue Precision HMO network for 2026. To gain access to the Advocate Medical Group you must purchase one of the BlueCare Direct with Advocate HMO plans. We do not recommend doing so because the BlueCare Direct HMO network is the smallest and most restrictive Blue Cross HMO network restricting you only to Advocate Medical Group providers.

BlueCare Direct Bronze Standard – Select Rx Copays with Advocate – HMO
BlueCare Direct Silver Standard – Select Rx Copays with Advocate – HMO
BlueCare Direct Gold℠ Standard – Rx Copays with Advocate – HMO

To shop for individual dental insurance. Click the Delta dental icon below. Delta is the only individual dental insurance carrier that provides both a national PPO network and credit for prior coverage. If you provide evidence of at least 12 months of consistent prior dental insurance coverage when switching to a Delta dental individual policy, you will receive credit towards waiting periods for basic and major services.

Are your doctors and hospitals in the Blue Cross Blue Shield of ILLINOIS PPO or HMO networks?

Dental insurance coverage from Blue Cross Blue Shield of ILLINOIS

There are four Individual Dental insurance policies offered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois. To check if your dentist is in the BCBSIL Dental PPO click BlueCare^® Dental (DPPO)

Prescription drug coverage from Blue Cross Blue Shield of ILLINOIS

Preventive care coverage from Blue Cross Blue Shield of ILLINOIS

States that offer individual PPO plans in the Individual Marketplace

Planning your exit strategy? Blue Cross now offers Individual PPO plans in 21 states (including Illinois) and in Washington D.C. There are also 3 additional states that offer Individual PPO plans but they are not Blue Cross plans. The complete list is as follows:

Alabama -Blue Cross
Alaska – Moda Health and Premera Blue Cross
Arizona – Blue Cross
Arkansas – Ambetter QualChoice and Blue Cross
California – Blue Cross and Health Net – Ambetter
Connecticut – Anthem Blue Cross
Delaware – Highmark Blue Cross
Hawaii – H.M.S.A – Hawaii Medical Service Association – Blue Cross
Idaho – Blue Cross

Illinois – Blue Cross
Louisiana – Blue CrossMaine – Maine Community coop and Blue Cross
Maryland – CareFirst Blue Cross
Michigan – Blue Cross
Minnesota – Blue Cross and Health Partners
Montana – Pacific Source no Blue Cross
North Carolina – Blue Cross Blue Shield
North Dakota – Blue Cross

Oklahoma – Oscar, Medica, Ambetter and Blue Cross

Oregon – Pacific Source no Blue Cross
Pennsylvania – Independence Blue Cross
Rhode Island – Blue Cross
South Dakota – Sanford and Avera no Blue Cross
Washington D.C. – CareFirst Blue Cross

West Virginia – HighMark Blue Cross
Wyoming – Mountain Health Co-op and Blue Cross

2025 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois individual health insurance

BLUE CHOICE PREFERRED PPO PLANS FOR 2025

Click here to search the outpatient prescription drug Formulary list for PPO Individual ACA-qualified (Obamacare) plans.
Click here to search the outpatient prescription drug Formulary list for HMO and POS (Point Of Service) Individual ACA-qualified (Obamacare) plans.

Blue Choice Preferred PPO network search tool.

Blue Choice Preferred Bronze PPO 701 – PPO
Blue Choice Preferred Bronze PPO 201 – PPO
Blue Choice Preferred Bronze PPO Standard – Select Rx

Blue Choice Preferred Bronze PPO 202 – HSA-qualified OFF exchange (unsubsidized) ONLY

Blue Choice Preferred Silver PPO 801 – PPO
Blue Choice Preferred Silver PPO 203 – PPO
Blue Choice Preferred Silver PPO Standard – Select Rx Copays – PPO

Blue Choice Preferred Silver PPO 303 – OFF exchange (unsubsidized) ONLY

Blue Choice Preferred Gold PPO 204 – PPO
Blue Choice Preferred Gold PPO 901 – PPO
Blue Choice Preferred Gold PPO Standard – Rx Copays – PPO

Blue Choice Preferred Security PPO 200 – Catastrophic plan for those under age 30 only