CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois’ health insurance marketplace is now allowing gay and lesbian couples to enroll for private coverage.

Now that same-sex marriage is legal in the state, Get Covered Illinois announced it will open up special enrollment periods for gay couples.
Married same-sex couples and their children can enroll as a family and may qualify for financial help.

Illinois’ gay marriage law took effect Sunday, though some cities have already allowed same-sex marriage ceremonies.

The Affordable Care Act requires insurance companies to offer the same coverage to people in same-sex marriages as they do to opposite-sex spouses.

Under the law, marriage is a qualifying life event that makes people eligible for a special enrollment period. The period lasts two months in the state’s marketplace and one month under an employer’s marketplace plan.

(Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)