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Insurance Plan Prices Under ACA Unveiled

  The most visible part of the Affordable Care Act has arrived. Today, Illinois residents without insurance will be able to go to the "Get Covered Illinois" website to begin shopping for healthcare plans.

The unveiling of the marketplace is also the first reveal of how much coverage under Obamacare will cost. That's largely remained a mystery; though Gov. Pat Quinn's administration released some figures, the details were sparse. The marketplace will take into account the age and gender of someone looking for coverage, as well as where they live and the type of plan they want. Bronze plans will have the lowest premiums but will cost more out of pocket; platinum plans are the opposite.

The director of the Illinois Campaign for Better Healthcare, Jim Duffett, says shoppers will have plenty of help.

"There's going to be online process, people will be able to call an 800 number and talk with folks, I know we'll be activities and public libraries and communities of faith and community colleges," Duffett says.

Illinois doesn't have all of its helpers fully certified on time for the rollout. But Duffett says there's no need to rush; he's stressing that while Oct. 1 is a big day for the government to get the marketplace up and running.

"Go home, talk to your family, you know, look at your budget," he says.

He says the real target date is Dec. 15, the deadline people need to have signed up for a plan in order for it to kick in as soon as possible. The final sign-up date is in March.

Amanda Vinicky moved to Chicago Tonight on WTTW-TV PBS in 2017.
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