If your household earns more than 400% of the federal poverty level, the premium tax credit you may have had through 2025 is gone for 2027. You will pay the full premium. That does not mean you have to overpay. Here are the options we walk clients through every day in Illinois.
Ways to lower your cost without a subsidy
1. Re-shop every carrier, on and off Get Covered Illinois
Without a subsidy, the exchange price and the carrier’s direct price are the same, and some plans are sold only off-exchange. Prices for the same metal level often differ by hundreds of dollars a month between carriers.
2. Use an HSA-qualified Bronze plan
Since 2026, Bronze and catastrophic plans bought through the marketplace count as HSA-qualified. For 2027 you can put up to $4,500 (self-only) or $9,000 (family) into an HSA before federal tax.
3. Check whether your income can drop below the line
The credit is based on modified adjusted gross income. Pre-tax retirement contributions and HSA deposits lower it, and for households just over 400% that can restore a credit. Confirm with your tax professional.
4. If you own a business, look at an ICHRA
An individual coverage HRA lets your company reimburse individual premiums tax-free for you and your employees. Ask us whether it beats paying premiums personally.
What about short-term plans?
Illinois banned the sale of new short-term health plans starting January 1, 2025, so they are not an option here.
Add supplemental coverage to a high deductible
Hospital indemnity, critical illness and cancer, and accident plans pay cash directly to you. Paired with a lower-premium Bronze plan, they can cost less in total than a Gold plan for some families. They do not replace major medical coverage.
Turning 65 soon?
Medicare is not tied to income the way marketplace credits are. If anyone in your household is close to 65, plan the switch now. See our Medicare annual enrollment guide.
Get a full-price comparison
We show every plan we offer in your county, with and without a subsidy.
Get a Quote Call 312.726.6565 Have an Agent Call MeFrequently asked questions
Who loses their subsidy in 2027?
Households with income above 400% of the federal poverty level no longer qualify for a premium tax credit, because the enhanced subsidies expired at the end of 2025.
Is a cheaper plan off the exchange the same coverage?
ACA plans sold off-exchange follow the same benefit rules as plans on Get Covered Illinois. Without a subsidy there is no price advantage to the exchange, and some carriers offer plans only off-exchange.
Can lowering my income bring the subsidy back?
Possibly. Premium tax credits use modified adjusted gross income, so pre-tax retirement and HSA contributions lower it. Talk to your tax professional before relying on this.
Is hospital indemnity a replacement for health insurance?
No. It pays fixed cash benefits and works alongside a major medical plan, for example to help cover a high deductible.
Illinois Health Agents is a licensed independent insurance agency. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by Get Covered Illinois, the United States government, the federal Medicare program, or the Illinois Department of Insurance. Plan availability, benefits and premiums vary by county and carrier. Information on this page is general, current as of October 2026, and subject to change. Quotes are estimates and are not a contract or offer of insurance.