Medigap Rates in Chicago: Plan G Market File

Chicago prices Medigap close to the national middle — dense carrier competition, strong provider-system acceptance of Medicare assignment, and Illinois’ under-the-radar GI rules that quietly help some switchers. Cook County quotes vary less than coastal metros but still spread 35–40% across carriers.

Metric	Chicago market	Context
Plan G, age 65, non-tobacco (monthly)	$112–162 across carriers	National mid-band
Plan N, age 65, non-tobacco	$92–132	Solid availability
Attained-age increases	2–5%/yr	Several issue-age options
Guaranteed-issue scope	Federal + state additions	IL adds GI for some losing-employer cases
Excess-charge exposure	Very low	Major systems take assignment

The Illinois wrinkle

Illinois extends guaranteed-issue rights beyond the federal floor in specific situations — notably certain employer-plan-loss scenarios — and regulators scrutinize Medigap filings closely. It is not a birthday-rule state, so routine annual re-shopping is still off the table, but the added GI events occasionally rescue buyers who lose coverage mid-decade.

Strategy for Chicago buyers

With excess charges a non-issue in Cook County, Plan N’s economics are strong here — the copay structure rarely triggers against Chicago provider behavior. Compare five-year increase histories among the majors, and keep documentation of any employer coverage: the state GI additions apply to scenarios people fail to claim because they never knew the right existed.

FAQ

Does Illinois have a birthday rule?

No — but it adds some non-federal guaranteed-issue cases; the state rules file details them.

Is Plan N safe in Chicago?

Yes — excess charges are rare across the major Chicago systems, making N’s discount unusually low-risk.

Why do quotes differ by ZIP within Chicagoland?

Carriers file county-level tables; collar counties (DuPage, Lake) often price 5–12% below the city.

Related reading: State rules board · N vs G math · ZIP variance · All city files