Illinoisans Mistakenly Told Obamacare Not Available To Them

SPRINGFIELD, IL — With just four days left in the "Obamacare" enrollment period, some people in Illinois have reported being mistakenly told there are no plans available to them in their area. Consumer advocates on Monday reported that some Illinois residents who tried to sign up at HealthCare.gov erroneously got a message telling them they are likely eligible to buy a health plan, "but none are available to you in your area."

That's not true. Currently, every county in the United States has at least one health insurance company offering a plan under the Affordable Care Act.

The glitch came even as Obamacare enrollment soared to record levels. In fact, thousands more Illinois residents signed up for coverage through the Affordable Care Act during the first four weeks of enrollment this year than last year. As of Nov. 29, more than 95,000 Illinois residents had enrolled, compared with about 68,000 at about the same time last year, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Obamacare enrollment ends on Friday, Dec. 15.

How To Sign Up For Obamacare In Illinois

Stephani Becker of the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law in Chicago told the Associated Press Illinois consumers first began reporting the error late last week. It happened again Monday in Illinois as well as other states, she said, despite an administration official saying the issue had been resolved.

The mistake could cost some Illinoisans affordable health coverage. Becker said while trained counselors know enough about Obamacare to question the error message, "the average consumer might just walk away," she said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)