Who is leaving, what's left in your county, and what to do before the deadline. Last checked October 5, 2026.
Two insurance companies are leaving the Illinois marketplace for 2027.
Altogether, 8 of Illinois's 102 counties lose at least one marketplace insurer.
Hi, I'm Sam Jaber, and Illinois is among the 36 states where I'm licensed as a broker. Get Covered Illinois has confirmed that Cigna and Molina will no longer offer marketplace plans beginning January 1, 2027. Both withdrawals primarily affect the Chicago region. Cigna operated in DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, Will, Grundy and Kankakee, covering surrounding suburbs and areas farther south. Molina's service area included Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will counties.
For downstate Illinois, the insurer lineup stays intact. All 94 remaining counties retain the marketplace companies they had in 2026. So residents of Springfield, Peoria, Champaign and Carbondale should focus on reviewing changes to their existing coverage this fall, rather than worrying about an insurer withdrawing. The Illinois Department of Insurance's final 2027 filings show individual rates up 14.1% on average, so compare plans even if your company stays.
The largest reductions occur in suburbs served by both departing insurers. DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will each fall from six marketplace insurers to four. Cook loses one, leaving four. Grundy County near Morris has the tightest selection, declining from three companies to two. If your physicians only accept one network there, that doesn't leave you many alternatives.
Some Illinois residents just dealt with a similar disruption. Aetna exited the marketplace for 2026, so people who replaced Aetna with Cigna or Molina now have to switch coverage for the second time.
If you have Cigna or Molina, don't wait for Get Covered Illinois to assign you coverage. Choose your own 2027 plan before the deadline. Look up each of your doctors, and verify that the Chicago hospital system you actually use participates in the new network. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois offered marketplace PPOs in every county in 2026. If you're healthy and paying the full premium, compare its pricing with a nationwide PPO.
Different state? Pick yours here.
These are the 8 Illinois counties where at least one marketplace insurer is leaving. For each one you can see who's leaving, how many marketplace insurers are left, and which ones.
On the marketplace, PPO plans were sold in 102 of Illinois's 102 counties in 2026, and all 102 of those counties still have one after the exits. Those PPO plans come from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois.
| County | Insurer leaving | Insurers left | Who's left (2026 plans) | Marketplace PPO after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook | Molina | 4 | Ambetter (Centene); Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois; Oscar; UnitedHealthcare | Yes |
| DuPage | Cigna; Molina | 4 | Ambetter (Centene); Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois; Oscar; UnitedHealthcare | Yes |
| Grundy | Cigna | 2 | Ambetter (Centene); Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois | Yes |
| Kane | Cigna; Molina | 4 | Ambetter (Centene); Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois; Oscar; UnitedHealthcare | Yes |
| Kankakee | Cigna | 3 | Ambetter (Centene); Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois; UnitedHealthcare | Yes |
| Kendall | Cigna; Molina | 4 | Ambetter (Centene); Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois; Oscar; UnitedHealthcare | Yes |
| Lake | Cigna | 4 | Ambetter (Centene); Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois; Oscar; UnitedHealthcare | Yes |
| Will | Cigna; Molina | 4 | Ambetter (Centene); Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois; Oscar; UnitedHealthcare | Yes |
County data: CMS 2026 marketplace plan data source. Insurers are counted by company, and the table uses each company's 2026 service area, so a company that enters or expands for 2027 isn't counted yet. I'll update it when the 2027 plan list publishes in late October.
You've probably seen a few other names mentioned in news coverage of this. Here's what their actual situations look like.
Your coverage doesn't end immediately just because the insurer is leaving. The existing policy continues through December 31, 2026, and you're entitled to written notice beforehand. Federal requirements call for at least 90 calendar days of notice when an insurer discontinues a plan, or at least 180 calendar days when it withdraws completely from a state's individual market. Haven't received anything yet? Contact your insurer and request the notice.
Here's where people often misunderstand the process. Under federal regulation 45 CFR 155.335, the marketplace may place you with another insurer when your current company has no remaining marketplace plan. That's permission, not a guarantee. State law and the regulator's instructions govern the transfer. Without specific direction, the marketplace chooses a "similar" plan. The regulation doesn't require anyone to verify that your doctors or medications are covered.
Purchased your coverage directly from the insurer rather than through the marketplace? Its automatic re-enrollment provisions don't apply to your policy. You'll have to select replacement coverage on your own.
Instead of using HealthCare.gov, Illinois operates Get Covered Illinois, its own marketplace. Notices come directly from that exchange, and enrollment deadlines may differ from HealthCare.gov's December 15 cutoff for January 1 coverage and January 15 closing date. Verify the schedule on Get Covered Illinois before making plans. Its notice will also identify any replacement coverage you might receive automatically if you take no action.
You might still qualify to enroll after the regular window closes. HealthCare.gov recognizes discontinued coverage as a qualifying event, and federal regulations allow 60 days before and 60 days after your old plan's termination to select replacement coverage. I wouldn't rely on that as your first choice. Make sure you're eligible before planning around those dates.
The way I'd approach this depends on your particular situation and where things stand for you. Whichever route makes sense, the next step is the same: let's talk on the phone before the deadline.
If your income puts you outside the tax credit range, you're responsible for the entire marketplace premium, with your choices limited to the insurers serving your county. That's when I'd also consider private coverage. Medically underwritten plans use nationwide PPO networks, and their pricing reflects your health. Healthy applicants may pay less than the marketplace's unsubsidized rate. There are tradeoffs: insurers ask medical questions and can reject an application or exclude a preexisting condition. We'll review those details together before you decide.
Next step: Give me a call, and I'll compare a nationwide PPO quote for your household with the marketplace coverage offered in your Illinois county.
Regardless of which insurers remain on your county's marketplace, I can help you obtain a nationwide PPO in Illinois. On the marketplace, PPO plans were sold in 102 of Illinois's 102 counties in 2026, and all 102 of those counties still have one after the exits. Those PPO plans come from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois.
For healthy people paying the entire marketplace premium, it's worth comparing private, medically underwritten PPO coverage. These plans offer networks extending nationwide. I carry health insurance licenses in 36 states, including Illinois.
Straight answers, no sales pitch.
Cigna (confirmed) and Molina (confirmed). Altogether, 8 of Illinois's 102 counties lose at least one marketplace insurer.
Possibly, but there's no guarantee. Federal rules permit the marketplace to assign a comparable plan from another insurer when state law and regulators allow it. HealthCare.gov specifically cautions that automatic re-enrollment isn't always available. And if your current coverage was purchased outside the marketplace, that process won't apply. My advice is to choose your replacement yourself.
Because Illinois uses its own exchange, Get Covered Illinois, don't assume HealthCare.gov's December 15 and January 15 deadlines apply. Confirm the dates directly with Get Covered Illinois and make your selection early enough for January 1 coverage.
Yes. I can help you find a nationwide PPO available in Illinois. On the marketplace, PPO plans were sold in 102 of Illinois's 102 counties in 2026, and all 102 of those counties still have one after the exits. Those PPO plans come from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois.
Last checked October 5, 2026. I update this page when the 2027 plan list publishes in late October.
Call me with your county, the people who need coverage and the details of your notice. I'll compare the remaining Illinois marketplace plans with a nationwide PPO quote and help you decide before enrollment ends. I'm licensed in 36 states, and we can handle everything by phone.
Every state on the list, and guides for Illinois