Illinois is offering a new path to health insurance for about 9,300 residents who lost Medicaid coverage on October 1. State officials announced a special enrollment period on Get Covered Illinois, the state's health insurance marketplace, that runs through December 31, 2026. According to the announcement, those affected are lawfully present immigrants who lost coverage because of changes in the federal budget law known as H.R. 1, or the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Eligible residents who enroll during the period can receive coverage retroactive to October 1, 2026, which is meant to keep them from having a gap in insurance. They may also qualify for premium tax credits that lower monthly costs. Morgan Winters, the director of Get Covered Illinois, said that because Illinois runs its own marketplace, the state can act quickly when federal changes put residents' coverage at risk. Elizabeth Whitehorn, director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, said it is important to reduce the harm of these changes as much as possible and to get the word out so affected people know where to turn for immediate care.
