The Illinois Medicaid application, Form IL444-2378B, is the paper form residents use to apply for Medicaid, SNAP, and cash assistance in a single submission through the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS).1Illinois Department of Human Services. PM 02-06-01-d: Form IL444-2378B You can print it from the IDHS website, pick one up at any Family Community Resource Center (FCRC), and return it by mail, fax, or in person.2Illinois Department of Human Services. Request for Cash Assistance – Medical Assistance – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) If you would rather skip the paper entirely, the same application is available online through the Application for Benefits Eligibility (ABE) portal at abe.illinois.gov. Whichever path you choose, IDHS evaluates you for every program you check off, so one filing covers all three.
Documents to Gather First
A missing document is the single most common reason an application stalls. Pull the following together before you start writing:
- Social Security numbers for every household member requesting benefits.
- Proof of Illinois residency, such as a utility bill or lease.
- Proof of income. For medical programs, IDHS accepts a single recent pay stub for wage earners; self-employed applicants need records covering the full month, and unearned income like Social Security or unemployment requires one proof of a payment received.3Illinois Department of Human Services. MR #21.18: Proof of Income for Medical Programs
- Immigration documents for non-citizen applicants (Permanent Resident Card, Employment Authorization Document, or equivalent).
- A government-issued photo ID.
- Policy numbers and provider names for any existing health insurance in the household.
Most adults, parents, and children do not need to document assets. Illinois eliminated the asset test for those groups and looks only at income. If you are applying under the Aged, Blind, or Disabled category, you will also need bank statements and records of any real estate beyond your primary home, because the SSI resource limits still apply to that group.4Social Security Administration. Understanding Supplemental Security Income SSI Resources
Filling Out Form IL444-2378B
The form is available as a PDF on the IDHS website or in printed form, in multiple languages, at any FCRC. To find your local office, use the office locator at dhs.state.il.us or call 1-800-843-6154.5Illinois Department of Human Services. Office Locator FCRC staff can help you complete the form and can arrange translation.
Household Composition
List every person living in your home with their name, date of birth, and relationship to you. Then mark which household members are applying for medical benefits, which are applying for SNAP, and which want cash assistance. A single person can apply for all three. IDHS only evaluates each person for the programs you actually check, so get these boxes right.
Income
Enter gross monthly income for each household member who earns money. Gross means the figure before taxes, insurance, or retirement deductions. There are separate boxes for earned income (wages, salary, self-employment) and unearned income (child support, Social Security, unemployment, veterans’ benefits). IDHS cross-checks what you report against the Department of Employment Security and other state databases, so a mismatch will trigger a request for more documentation and slow your case down.
Shelter and Utility Expenses
Report your monthly rent or mortgage and whether you pay for heating, cooling, water, or other utilities. These numbers feed the SNAP calculation directly, because shelter costs affect the benefit amount. Note any utility subsidy such as LIHEAP.
Health Insurance and Signature
If anyone in the household already has coverage, list the policy number and provider. That tells the state whether Medicaid would be the primary payer or a secondary one. Fill in every remaining field or mark it “N/A”; a blank looks like a missed question. Then sign and date the signature page. An unsigned application will be sent back, which resets your timeline. If someone else is helping you, they can sign as an approved representative by completing Form IL444-2998.6Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Medical Forms
How to Submit the Form
You have two routes, and both end at the same eligibility decision.
Paper Submission
Return the completed Form IL444-2378B to your local FCRC by mail, fax, or in person.7Illinois Department of Human Services. Cash, SNAP and Medical Assistance There is no central mailing address; each application goes to the office serving your area, so use the office locator to find the right address and fax number. If you mail the form, request delivery confirmation. If you fax, keep the transmission page. Walking it in gets you a date-stamped receipt on the spot, which is the safest proof of filing.
Online Through ABE
The ABE portal at abe.illinois.gov is a guided online application rather than a digital copy of the paper form.8Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. ABE Benefits Create an account to save progress, upload supporting documents, and track your case. ABE is available at any hour.
Your processing clock starts the day IDHS receives your signed application, regardless of which method you used.
What Happens After You Apply
IDHS has firm deadlines to issue a decision:9Illinois Department of Human Services. Applying for Benefits
- SNAP: 30 days from the date the application is received.
- Cash assistance: 45 days.
- Medicaid, most categories: 45 days.
- Medicaid based on disability: 60 days, to allow for a medical review.10Illinois.gov. Illinois Application for Benefits Eligibility (ABE) Apply Without Account – What’s Next Guide
Interview
SNAP applicants and some cash assistance applicants must complete an interview with a caseworker. It can be in person at your FCRC or by phone. Medicaid-only applications usually do not require an interview, though a caseworker may still call if the file raises questions.
Verification Requests
If the caseworker needs something more, such as a birth certificate, a bank statement, or a letter from an employer, you will receive a Verification Checklist (Form IL444-0267) listing exactly what to send. You have 10 calendar days from the date on that notice to provide the documents.11Illinois Department of Human Services. PM 02-07-02: Obtaining Verifications Missing that window usually leads to a denial, so treat the checklist as urgent.
The Decision
Once review is finished, you receive a Notice of Decision by mail. It lists which programs were approved or denied, your monthly benefit amount, the effective date of coverage, and when your next annual renewal is due.
Expedited SNAP in an Emergency
If you are in a financial emergency, you may qualify for expedited SNAP, which IDHS processes within five days rather than the standard 30.12Illinois Department of Human Services. Emergency SNAP Benefits You qualify if any of the following is true:
- Your monthly income plus cash and bank balances are less than your rent or mortgage plus utility costs.
- Your monthly income is under $150 and your combined cash and bank balances are $100 or less.
- You are a migrant farm worker with $100 or less in cash and bank accounts.
You still need valid identification. The fast track applies to SNAP only; your Medicaid and cash assistance applications continue on their normal timelines.
Retroactive Medicaid Coverage
Illinois Medicaid can cover medical bills you incurred up to three months before the month you applied, as long as you would have been eligible during those months.13Illinois Department of Human Services. PM 06-25-03-a: Retroactive Coverage If you delayed applying because of a medical crisis, this is worth flagging on your application so the state can evaluate those earlier months and providers can bill Medicaid for services already delivered.
If Your Application Is Denied
If IDHS denies your application or reduces your benefits, you have 60 days from the date on the Notice of Decision to request a fair hearing.14Illinois Department of Human Services. Appeals and Fair Hearings For Those Receiving Cash, SNAP, or Medical Assistance You can file:
- Online through your ABE account at abe.illinois.gov.
- By email to DHS.BAH@Illinois.gov.
- By fax at 312-793-3387.
- By mail to Illinois Department of Human Services, Bureau of Hearings, 69 W. Washington, 4th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60602.
- By phone at 1-800-435-0774 (voice) or 1-877-734-7429 (TTY), Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
- In person at your local FCRC.
The appeal itself does not need to be elaborate. A letter with your name, case number, the decision you disagree with, and your reason is enough to start the process. If you already receive benefits and are being cut off, filing the appeal within 10 days of the notice keeps your benefits running until the hearing officer issues a decision. Wait longer than that, and benefits stop while the appeal is pending.