A Polish-speaking insurance agent in Illinois: Medicare in Polish.
A family agency from Chicago. We help Polish-speaking beneficiaries in Chicago, Schaumburg, Gurnee, Crystal Lake, Orland Park and nearby choose the plan that covers their doctors and prescription drugs most fully, in Polish, at an unhurried pace.
By calling this number you are connecting with a licensed insurance agency.
Helping the Polish community in Illinois. Our team picks up in Polish.
Robert Sobczak
Team Lead · 15+ years in Medicare · Chicago's Polish community
Leads the Medicare po Polsku team of agents. For more than a decade he has guided Polish families in Chicago through Medicare, calmly and in Polish.
Jakub Slomczewski
Partner · Marketing and new clients · Chicago
Second generation of a Polish family in Chicago. He helps explain Medicare in the language we grew up with. Always in Polish, with no pressure.
What we actually do for people in Illinois.
Every state is a little different. Here is what "Medicare po Polsku" means in practice in Illinois.
We check your doctors in Chicago and nearby
We know the local networks: Northwestern, Rush, Advocate, AMITA and Endeavor. Before you choose a plan, we check that your primary care doctor is in its network and that your specialist accepts it.
We compare the plans in your county
Medicare Advantage plans differ across Cook County, Lake County and DuPage. We compare the plans offered where you live, not a generic list.
We explain Medicare Supplement plans in Illinois
In Illinois, Medigap works a little differently than in other states, especially after age 65. We'll explain the guaranteed issue window, the lettered plans, and which plan fits your situation most closely.
We stay with you after you enroll
Most of our work starts after the policy is signed, when the bills, the letters from the plan and the network changes arrive. That is when we pick up the phone and help. In Polish.
What to know in Illinois.
State programs and rules in Illinois. Each point shows its source; we checked them all on 10/15/2026.
Medicare basics
Hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care after a hospital stay, hospice
Doctor visits, tests, preventive care, outpatient care
Combines Parts A and B in one plan, often with Part D
A separate plan alongside Original Medicare, or part of a Part C plan
- IEP · Initial Enrollment Period
7 months: the 3 months before the month you turn 65, that month, and the 3 months after.
- Medigap · Medicare Supplement Insurance open enrollment (private policy)
6 months from the first day of the month you are 65 or older and have Part B.
- AEP · Annual Election Period
October 15 – December 7, every year. Changes take effect January 1.
- MA-OEP · Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment
January 1 – March 31, only for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan.
- SEP · Special Election Periods
After certain events, such as a move or losing coverage from work. Each has its own conditions.
* In this drawing Part B starts in the birthday month. If it starts later, the Medigap window moves with it.
Source: Medicare.gov, checked October 15, 2026.
Unbiased help: Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP)
Illinois Department on Aging · phone 1-800-252-8966 (TRS: 711) · ilaging.illinois.gov/ship.html (opens in a new tab)
Unbiased Medicare counseling for people of any age. SHIP counselors do not sell insurance and are not tied to any insurance company. Help is available by phone or in person; some locations require an appointment.
Sources: Illinois Department on Aging, SHIP (opens in a new tab); Illinois Department on Aging, "Medicare Choices" 2026 (opens in a new tab), checked 10/15/2026.
SHIP sites with help in Polish (7)
SHIP locations in Cook County that offer help in Polish, according to the state's list. Please call before you visit.
- Polish American Association3834 N Cicero Ave, Chicago773-282-8206
- PrimeCare West Town Clinic1431 N Western Ave, Ste 406, Chicago312-633-5841
- Rush University Medical Center, Johnston R. Bowman Health Center710 S Paulina St, Ste 436, Chicago800-757-0202
- Leyden Family Service10015 W Grand Ave, Franklin Park847-451-5071
- Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Senior Services8820 W Dempster St, Niles847-723-7277
- Palatine Township Senior Citizens Council505 S Quentin, Palatine847-991-1112
- Pathlights7808 W College Dr, Ste 5, East Palos Heights708-361-0219
Source: Illinois Department on Aging, SHIP locations list (updated 8/13/2026) (opens in a new tab).
Medigap in Illinois private policy
Medicare Supplements (Medigap) are private policies that work alongside Original Medicare. Beyond the federal rules, each state can have its own:
People aged 65 to 75 who already have a Medigap policy can, every year within 45 days of their birthday, switch to a policy with the same or fewer benefits, with no health review. The new policy can come from the same company and, starting January 1, 2026, also from an affiliated company that operates in Illinois.
Source: Illinois Department on Aging, "Medicare Choices" 2026 (opens in a new tab).
In Illinois, people who have Medicare because of a disability have the same right to a Medigap open enrollment period as people 65 and older. When they turn 65, they get another 6-month window.
Source: Illinois Department on Aging, "Medicare Choices" 2026 (opens in a new tab).
In some situations, an insurance company must sell certain Medigap policies without a health review even outside these windows. Ask us or a SHIP counselor whether this applies to you.
Source: Illinois Department on Aging, "Medicare Choices" 2026 (opens in a new tab).
Medicare Savings Programs
Monthly income limits for 2026 from the State of Illinois chart (state estimates). Illinois does not count the first $25 of income, so the actual limit is $25 higher.
Pays: monthly premiums plus the deductibles and coinsurance in Parts A and B.
Pays: the monthly Part B premium.
Pays: the monthly Part B premium.
Asset limit (all three programs): $9,950 single · $14,910 couple.
The asset limits do not include an additional $1,500 (single) / $3,000 (couple) set aside for burial. People in these programs also qualify automatically for Extra Help with prescription drug costs.
Apply at abe.illinois.gov, on your own or with help from a SHIP counselor or from us.
Sources: Illinois Department on Aging, "2026 Illinois Medicare Savings Programs" (opens in a new tab); Illinois Department on Aging, "Medicare Choices" 2026 (opens in a new tab), checked 10/15/2026.
Illinois state programs
A State of Illinois program for people 65+ and people with a lasting disability: rides on local public transit at no charge (local transit agencies may have additional requirements) and a discount on the license plate registration fee. Gross income limit: $33,562 (1 person), $44,533 (2 people). Applications are online only. The program does not help with prescription drug costs: the state's Illinois Cares Rx program ended on June 30, 2012.
Sources: Illinois Department on Aging, Benefit Access Program (opens in a new tab); Illinois HFS, notice of 6/14/2012 (end of Illinois Cares Rx) (opens in a new tab).
Where to find help locally
- Chicago Department of Family and Support Services, Senior Services City of Chicago phone 312-746-5682 1615 W. Chicago Ave, 3rd floor
Source: Illinois Department on Aging, list of area agencies on aging (opens in a new tab).
- AgeOptions Suburban Cook County phone 708-383-0258 or 1-800-699-9043 1048 Lake Street, Suite 300, Oak Park
Source: Illinois Department on Aging, list of area agencies on aging (opens in a new tab).
- Illinois Senior Medicare Patrol (reporting suspected fraud) Statewide phone 1-800-699-9043 (ask for "SMP")
Source: Illinois Department on Aging, "Medicare Choices" 2026 (opens in a new tab).
- Illinois Department of Insurance, Office of Consumer Health Insurance (complaints) Statewide phone 1-877-527-9431
Source: Illinois Department on Aging, "Medicare Choices" 2026 (opens in a new tab).
Live in Illinois and something changed?
Some situations let you enroll in a new plan outside the usual dates. In Illinois, the most common are:
- → A move. From Poland to Chicago, from another state to Illinois, or within Illinois. If the move changes which plans are available to you, a new enrollment window opens.
- → Losing coverage from an employer. After you retire or leave a job, you usually have eight months to sign up for Medicare Part B without a penalty.
- → Your doctor left your plan's network. Plans change their physician groups every year. If your doctor dropped out of the network, you can sometimes switch plans outside AEP.
- → Qualifying for Medicaid or Extra Help. If your financial situation has changed, you can switch plans during the year. We check whether you qualify.
Come see us in Chicago.
Would you rather talk face to face? Come visit our office. Tea, a quiet room, no rush. Meetings by appointment only.
Where we help: From our Jefferson Park office we help families in Chicago and in Niles, Park Ridge, Norridge and Harwood Heights. More in our guide Polish Medicare help in Chicago. See also our Chicago office and meetings in the south suburbs.
By calling this number you are connecting with a licensed insurance agency.
More about our Polish-speaking insurance agency in Chicago.
Our reviews
Real Polish-American families. Real reviews.
These reviews are in Polish because our clients are. If you're searching for Medicare help on behalf of a Polish-speaking parent, this is what families like yours have to say.
„Dziekuje bardzo panie robercie! Wszystko jest mi teraz jasne z ubezpieczeniami"
„Kochany Panie Robercie dziekuje za pomoc. Jest pan cudowny"
„Super miejsce, super łudź, super atmosfera Bardzo polecam"
„Wspaniala obsuga. Dziekuje za wszystko. Polecam"
„Super ludzie Dziekuje za wszechstronna pomoc"
„Serdecznie dziekuje za czas,cierpliwosc I pomoc"
„Dziekuje za pomoc. Super obsluga"
„Wszystko jak nalezy. Dziekuje"
„Strasznie dziękuję i pozdrawiam"
„Very professional pan Robert."
„Dziekuje bardzo panie robercie! Wszystko jest mi teraz jasne z ubezpieczeniami"
„Kochany Panie Robercie dziekuje za pomoc. Jest pan cudowny"
„Super miejsce, super łudź, super atmosfera Bardzo polecam"
„Wspaniala obsuga. Dziekuje za wszystko. Polecam"
„Super ludzie Dziekuje za wszechstronna pomoc"
„Serdecznie dziekuje za czas,cierpliwosc I pomoc"
„Dziekuje za pomoc. Super obsluga"
„Wszystko jak nalezy. Dziekuje"
„Strasznie dziękuję i pozdrawiam"
„Very professional pan Robert."
“Thank you sincerely for your time, patience and help.”
What clients in Chicago ask us most.
Is my doctor in a Medicare Advantage plan's network?
We check every doctor and specialist before you choose a plan. We have access to the network lookup tools for Northwestern, Rush, AMITA and the other major health systems in Illinois.
Can I keep Medicare if I spend a few months in Poland?
Yes. Medicare doesn't cover care in Poland, but your U.S. coverage stays active. When you come back, you can pick up your care again without an unnecessary gap.
What if I live half the year in Chicago and half in Florida?
That's a common situation in the Polish community. We'll help you choose a plan that works well in both states, most often a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) with Original Medicare, or a broader Medicare Advantage PPO plan.
What does your help cost?
Our help comes with no obligation, and you pay us no fee. Agents are paid by the insurance companies, not by clients. You pay exactly what you would pay if you enrolled on your own. What you get is someone who knows the subject.
Ready for an unhurried conversation?
A 30-minute consultation in Polish, with no obligation. We'll check your doctors and your prescriptions and show you the options available where you live.
Schedule a Meeting