If you're retired and need health coverage, you may be able to enroll in coverage through Get Covered Illinois
If you retire before you're 65 and lose your job-based health plan, you can also use Get Covered Illinois to buy a plan. Losing health coverage qualifies you for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP).
When you fill out a Get Covered Illinois application, you'll find out if you qualify for a private plan with premium tax credits and lower out-of-pocket costs. This will depend on your income and household size.
If you have retiree coverage and want to buy a Get Covered Illinois plan instead, you can. But:
- You can't get premium tax credits and other savings based on your income. This is true only if you're actually enrolled in retiree coverage. If you're eligible for but not enrolled in retiree coverage, you may qualify for premium tax credits and lower out-of-pocket costs based on your household size and income.
- If you voluntarily drop your retiree coverage, you won't qualify for a Special Enrollment Period to enroll in a plan through Get Covered Illinois. You will need to wait until the next Open Enrollment period to enroll in health coverage.