On October 1—the day when Health Insurance Marketplaces opened across the country— public officials, community organizations, health professionals, and those who need health insurance joined Governor Pat Quinn and other elected officials to officially launch Illinois’ outreach and enrollment efforts.

The Marketplace, a key aspect of the Affordable Care Act will allow more than 1 million currently uninsured Illinoisans to compare and shop for affordable health insurance plans online. In addition to the individual and family marketplace, the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) will allow self-employed workers and small businesses to shop for private health insurance for themselves and their employees starting November 1.