How many Medicare beneficiaries are in Illinois?

Illinois has approximately 2.4M Medicare beneficiaries. Roughly 45% are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, with the balance on Original Medicare — often paired with a Medigap plan and a standalone Part D drug plan.

When is Illinois Medicare enrollment?

The Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) runs October 15 through December 7 each year, with changes effective January 1. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA OEP) runs January 1 through March 31. New-to-Medicare beneficiaries use their 7-month Initial Enrollment Period around their 65th birthday.

Is Medigap available in Illinois?

Yes. Illinois has all federal Medigap letter plans (A, B, D, G, K, L, M, N, and high-deductible G and F for those eligible) available from multiple carriers. Medical underwriting typically applies outside your one-time 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment window, so timing matters.

Illinois · Medicare · 2026 plan year

Illinois Medicare plans for 2026.

Q: What are the top Medicare Advantage carriers in Illinois?

Leading Medicare Advantage carriers in Illinois include Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois (HCSC), UnitedHealthcare (AARP), Humana, Aetna, Cigna, Health Alliance, and Molina Healthcare. Plan availability and network depth vary by county.

Illinois has approximately 2.4M Medicare beneficiaries — about 45% on Medicare Advantage, the rest on Original Medicare. We compare Medicare Advantage, Medigap, and Part D options from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois (HCSC), UnitedHealthcare (AARP), Humana, Aetna, Cigna, Health Alliance, and Molina Healthcare.

Talk to a licensed Illinois Medicare advisor Medicare basics Browse plans yourself

2.4M

Illinois Medicare beneficiaries

~45%

on Medicare Advantage in IL

All 102

Illinois counties served

Carriers pay us — never you

Want to enroll yourself? Compare Illinois Medicare plans online.

Same Medicare Advantage, Supplement, and Part D plans we'd quote you. SilverEdge stays your broker on file — call us anytime.

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The core decision

Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap in Illinois

For most Illinoisans, the choice between Medicare Advantage (Part C) and Original Medicare plus a Medigap (Supplement) plan is the biggest decision you'll make.

Medicare Advantage in Illinois

Bundles Part A, Part B, and usually Part D into a private plan. Most Illinois metros offer competitive $0-premium plans with dental, vision, hearing, OTC, and transportation benefits.

Most Illinois MA plans are HMOs with local networks including Northwestern Medicine, Rush, NorthShore, Advocate, UChicago Medicine, Loyola Medicine, Carle Health. We verify your doctors before enrolling.

Medigap in Illinois

Pairs with Original Medicare and covers the deductibles, coinsurance, and copays Medicare doesn't pay. Any doctor or hospital nationwide that accepts Medicare accepts Medigap — no networks.

Illinois Medigap premiums vary by ZIP and age, and carriers may medically underwrite outside your one-time 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment window.

Carriers

Top Medicare carriers in Illinois

Plan availability and network depth vary by county.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois

Illinois's dominant insurer (part of HCSC). Deep statewide network covering Northwestern Medicine, Rush, NorthShore, Advocate, and most major Illinois health systems. Strong Medicare Advantage and Medigap presence.

Humana & UnitedHealthcare

Both national carriers offer competitive Medicare Advantage plans across Chicagoland and downstate Illinois. UnitedHealthcare's AARP Medigap plans are widely held by Illinois seniors.

Aetna & Cigna

Both have grown Medicare Advantage footprints in Illinois with $0-premium HMO and PPO options across most metro counties.

Health Alliance

Illinois-headquartered (Champaign-based), historically tied to Carle Health system. Strong Central Illinois presence in Champaign-Urbana, Bloomington-Normal, and Springfield.

Part D

Part D prescription coverage in Illinois

Under the Inflation Reduction Act, 2026 Part D caps out-of-pocket drug costs at $2,100 per year and eliminates the old "donut hole."

Every Illinois Medicare beneficiary needs prescription drug coverage (or creditable alternative coverage) to avoid the Part D late enrollment penalty. Illinois has dozens of standalone Part D plans plus drug coverage bundled into most MA-PD plans.

Formulary check: The same medication can land in very different tiers across plans. We run your drug list against every Part D plan in your ZIP.
Preferred pharmacy: Many Illinois Part D plans offer lower copays at preferred pharmacies (CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Mariano's, Jewel-Osco, Costco, Meijer). Which pharmacy you prefer can change which plan is cheapest.
Extra Help / LIS: Illinois beneficiaries with limited income may qualify for the Low Income Subsidy that significantly reduces drug costs.

Timing

Medicare enrollment dates for Illinois

Annual Enrollment Period (AEP): October 15 – December 7. Change Medicare Advantage or Part D plans; changes effective January 1.
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment (MA OEP): January 1 – March 31. One plan change allowed for members already in a Medicare Advantage plan.
Initial Enrollment Period (IEP): 7 months around your 65th birthday — 3 months before, your birthday month, and 3 months after.
Medigap Open Enrollment: 6 months from your Part B effective date — the one-time window when Illinois Medigap carriers cannot deny you or charge more for health reasons.
Special Enrollment Periods: Moving into Illinois, losing employer coverage, qualifying for Extra Help, or moving into or out of a nursing facility may each trigger a SEP.

Common questions

Illinois Medicare FAQ

Are there Illinois-specific Medicare rules?

Medicare is federal, so core rules match nationwide. What varies in Illinois is plan availability, network depth, Medigap pricing, and carrier mix.

Can I switch from Advantage to Medigap later?

Sometimes. Outside your one-time Medigap Open Enrollment window, Illinois Medigap carriers can medically underwrite — which means they can decline you or charge more for health conditions. We walk through your specific options carefully.

What if my doctor is at a different network?

We verify every doctor and hospital you want to keep against each plan's network before recommending anything. Networks like Northwestern Medicine, Rush, NorthShore, Advocate, UChicago Medicine, Loyola Medicine, Carle Health are common in Illinois — but specifics vary plan by plan.

What does SilverEdge cost?

Nothing. Medicare carriers pay us a commission when you enroll. We earn the same regardless of which carrier you pick — our job is to find your best Illinois fit.

Coverage

Illinois counties we cover

All 102 Illinois counties. A few of the counties where we have the most active members:

Cook (Chicago) DuPage Will Lake Kane McHenry Winnebago (Rockford) Madison St. Clair Champaign Sangamon (Springfield) Peoria McLean (Bloomington) Tazewell Rock Island Kendall Kankakee DeKalb LaSalle Macon + 82 more

★★★★★

$1,560 / yr saved

on Northwestern-network Medicare Advantage · Chicago, IL

"My BCBS plan suddenly cut Northwestern out of network. SilverEdge moved me to a UnitedHealthcare plan that kept Northwestern AND was $40/mo cheaper. They handled everything in one call."

Patricia K.

Network-driven MA switch · Chicago, IL

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