Unemployed for the first time, struggling to understand my options, and feeling really overwhelmed.

[Illinois/Wisconsin, 45F] I was laid off in October and I thought insurance extension/employer-paid cobra coverage would be part of my severance package. I found on in Dec. 22 that is not the case. Because I’m unemployed, I think I qualify for Medicaid in Illinois (if I qualify in Illinois at all – see below), but the website says with could be 45 days before I received a determination.

This is further complicated by the fact that I worked in Illinois but my permanent address is in Wisconsin. (I have an apartment in Chicago but I was hired just before the pandemic so I WFH for nearly two years in WI. After getting the apartment, I just left everything with the WI home address (which I still own) because it was simplest and ok/legal). I am receiving unemployment benefits from Illinois, so I applied for Medicaid there as well.

TL;DR questions:

Laid off and waiting up for 45 days to find out if I qualify for Medicaid. I need coverage before then to be in compliance (I think). Can I just get the cheapest coverage for a month until I find out about my determination?

Permanent address in WI, unemployment benefits in IL, where I worked and were I have an apartment. Do I apply for health coverage in IL or WI?

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