Illinois Health Insurance Prices Vary By Age, County

In one week, Illinois plans to launch a new health insurance marketplace where consumers can shop online for coverage that's required under the nation's health care law.

Until now, the cost of the coverage available on that marketplace has been a mystery.

Gov. Pat Quinn's administration released some cost information Tuesday a week ahead of the marketplace's opening day. Consumers have until Dec. 15 to sign up if they want coverage to start Jan. 1.

About 1.8 million Illinois residents are uninsured. Many of them will qualify for free health coverage under an expanded Medicaid program. Others with low or moderate household incomes will be eligible for tax credits that will drop their costs lower than the rates announced Tuesday.

Here's a look at selected prices of insurance policies expected to be offered on the Illinois marketplace. The rates below are for non-smokers and before tax credits. Smokers will pay more. The rates are for bronze plans, which will have lower monthly premiums but higher out-of-pocket costs such as deductibles and co-pays, and for silver plans, which have higher monthly premiums but lower out-of-pocket costs:

Insurance Policy	County	Age 25	Age 40	Age 55
Lowest cost bronze plan	Cook	$120	$152	$266
Lowest cost silver plan	Cook	$165	$210	$367
Lowest cost bronze plan	Peoria	$128	$163	$284
Lowest cost silver plan	Peoria	$169	$215	$376
Lowest cost bronze plan	Champaign	$166	$211	$368
Lowest cost silver plan	Champaign	$215	$274	$478
Lowest cost bronze plan	St. Clair	$134	$171	$298
Lowest cost silver plan	St. Clair	$178	$226	$395