Illinois Medicaid Information

Have you or your family lost healthcare coverage due to a COVID-19 job loss? You may be eligible for Medicaid benefits to cover the costs of healthcare, dental services and prescription drugs. Benefits.gov provides a free and easy to use eligibility calculator here. Simply answer some questions about income and family size to find out if you're eligible for coverage. 

To apply for Medicaid benefits or other social service programs like SNAP or TANF, go to the Illinois.gov website. If you've already made an application, click on "Manage My Case" and you'll be prompted to log in with your existing account information. 

If you're registering for benefits for the first time:

1. Click on the "Apply For Benefits" button located in the middle of the homepage. This will take you to a welcome screen.

2. Select the first option ("Start a new application") and then click "Next."

3. Select the first option ("Create an account") and then click "Next."

4. Fill in required fields to set up your account. Scroll to the bottom and click "Create Account."

5. After you have created your account, you may be prompted to log in again. Complete this process.

6. Once you are successfully logged in, you can select different program applications like Medicaid or temporary cash assistance and fill out the corresponding applications.

7. There will be a section at the end of the application to attach "proof." You must attach photographs of documents or scanned images. Librarians can help you with this step if you do not have access to a smartphone or scanner.

8. Once your application is completed and submitted, it takes an average of 45 days to hear back on the status. Return to the Illinois.gov website frequently and select "Manage My Case" to keep up-to-date on new developments in your case.

You can contact the Department of Human Services (DHS) to get an update on your application while you wait by calling the Customer Help Line at (800) 843-6154.