For Release – October 16, 2026
Get Covered Illinois Offers Special Enrollment Period for 9,300 Illinoisans Who Were Kicked Off Medicaid
Special enrollment period through Dec. 31 offers access to premium tax credits for qualified enrollees and retroactive coverage for the rest of 2026
CHICAGO — Due to President Trump’s Budget Bill (H.R. 1), thousands of lawfully present immigrants in Illinois lost Medicaid coverage, effective October 1, 2026. Get Covered Illinois is offering an immediate path to health insurance through a special enrollment period running through December 31, 2026, with premium tax credits available to eligible customers. This impacted group will no longer be eligible to receive premium tax credits on January 1, 2027, as a result of H.R. 1.
“Trump’s goal is cruelty—kicking lawfully present immigrants off Medicaid and making care more expensive for everyone else—so Illinois is stepping up to make sure no one falls through the cracks,” said Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton. “Thanks to Get Covered Illinois, this special enrollment period will help give people time to find the right health care options for their families.”
“The Trump Administration is making it harder and more expensive for Illinoisans to get health insurance, and thousands of people are feeling it right now,” said Ann Gillespie, Director of the Illinois Department of Insurance. “These federal changes were not our choice, but Illinois is stepping up so the people affected know they have somewhere to turn.”
The special enrollment period allows eligible customers who lost Medicaid due to federal changes to receive coverage retroactive to October 1, 2026, helping them avoid a gap in health insurance. They may also qualify for premium tax credits to lower the cost of marketplace insurance through the end of 2026.
“Because Illinois runs its own marketplace, we can act quickly when federal changes put our residents’ health coverage at risk,” said Morgan Winters, Director of Get Covered Illinois. “That’s why we are offering this special enrollment period, so these groups losing Medicaid can continue to access health care. We have an expansive network of navigators and brokers across the state ready to help customers understand their options and see if they qualify for financial help to lower the cost of a marketplace plan.”
“Mitigating the harm caused by these federal changes as much as possible is critical to supporting health care access here in Illinois,” said HFS Director Elizabeth M. Whitehorn. “This special enrollment period will provide a tool for impacted individuals to have somewhere to turn for their immediate health care needs. Getting the word out about coverage options is vital to support this vulnerable population that has been targeted by the H.R. 1 law.”
To apply for this special enrollment period, customers should call the Get Covered Illinois customer assistance center at 1-866-311-1119 (TTY: 711). Impacted individuals can also get help and information in their language at no cost by visiting GetCovered.Illinois.gov/get-help/get-help-in-your-language.html.
To learn more about federal changes affecting the marketplace, visit GetCoveredIllinois.gov/MarketplaceChanges.
