I can still help Illinois real estate agents get a nationwide PPO without paying the premium charged for one on the Cook County marketplace. Here's how Chicago agents can compare Get Covered Illinois plans with private coverage outside the exchange.
Hi, I'm Sam Jaber, a licensed health insurance broker. I hold licenses in 36 states, and Illinois real estate agents can work with me to arrange their coverage entirely by phone.
Consider a real estate agent living in Portage Park who sells brick bungalows, two-flats and occasional condos throughout Chicago's Northwest Side and nearby suburbs. Spring brings a rush of transactions, while the holiday season is usually quiet. One two-flat sale could account for a third of her annual earnings. Her brokerage supplies office space and a commission split, but no health benefits. Beginning in 2026, she uses Illinois's own marketplace, Get Covered Illinois, rather than HealthCare.gov. When she compares network types in Cook County, she discovers that the PPO premium exceeds twice the price of the lowest-priced HMO.
During 2026, Get Covered Illinois offers Cook County residents 78 individual medical plans from five insurers. The selection includes 59 HMOs, 9 POS policies and 10 PPOs. Cook County forms its own insurance rating area under Illinois's marketplace rate filings. For a 40-year-old buying silver coverage without subsidies, the lowest-priced PPO carries a premium 115% above the lowest-priced HMO.
A private nationwide PPO is another option I can arrange in Illinois, with your medical history influencing the price instead of that marketplace premium difference. Its provider network can extend across the North Shore, into Northwest Indiana and to cities where you travel or visit relatives.
Get Covered Illinois bases premium assistance on expected household earnings during the coverage year, with credits available up to four times the federal poverty level. For a real estate agent, that means commissions after brokerage splits and expenses such as desk charges, MLS and professional dues, advertising, staging and downtown parking. Illinois also expanded Medicaid, and KFF reports the adult eligibility ceiling as 138% of the poverty level.
Premiums have climbed substantially. The Illinois Department of Insurance reported that individual plans increased by a statewide weighted average of 28.8% for 2026.
If you qualify for a premium credit, you must enroll through Get Covered Illinois to use it. In Cook County, I'd usually begin by comparing HMOs. Your credit is tied to a benchmark silver policy, so choosing the more expensive PPO doesn't increase that assistance. Paying more than twice as much for the network often isn't worthwhile. Instead, we'll identify which HMO includes your physicians and the hospital you prefer.
Next step: Tell me which doctors you use and approximately what you earned after expenses last year. I'll compare Cook County HMOs that include those providers, with your premium credit factored into the price.
Once income exceeds the credit threshold, you're responsible for the entire premium. In Cook County, buying marketplace PPO coverage is the most expensive network choice. Many high-producing agents compare private plans at that point. You'll answer medical questions, and the insurer can approve your application, approve it while excluding a specific condition, or decline coverage. Healthy applicants frequently pay less than the marketplace's unsubsidized premium while gaining nationwide network access. We'll also examine each policy's benefits before making a decision.
Next step: Call me with your ZIP code, and I'll compare the full Get Covered Illinois premiums against a private nationwide PPO quote.
Get Covered Illinois has announced which insurance companies will exit its marketplace for 2027. If your current insurer is leaving, don't assume your coverage will renew without changes. During open enrollment, from November 1 through January 15, choose replacement coverage that includes your physicians. If you're healthy, we can also compare private insurance.
Next step: When you receive your renewal letter, give me a call. We'll review your coverage choices and work out the best direction for next year.
Straight answers, no sales pitch.
Yes. Cook County offers ten PPO plans, and the lowest-priced silver PPO carries a premium 115% higher than the lowest-priced silver HMO.
No. For the 2026 plan year onward, people living in Illinois sign up for coverage using Get Covered Illinois.
The annual open enrollment period through Get Covered Illinois begins November 1 and continues until January 15.
Yes. If you're in good health, I can help you apply for a private nationwide PPO.
Give me your ZIP code, the people you want insured and an approximate figure for last year's commissions after your split. I'll compare Get Covered Illinois premiums against a private nationwide PPO for your household.
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