Plain-English help with the Illinois HFS Medical Card (Medicaid) and the DOT medical card for commercial drivers, with the official phone numbers and links. An independent guide, not a government site.
Enter your exam date and the length your examiner gave you. Your certificate itself shows the official date.
No. This is an independent guide. The official agency is the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services at hfs.illinois.gov, and applications go through abe.illinois.gov.
In Illinois, Medicaid is commonly called the medical card. The HFS Medical Card shows the name, Recipient ID number and date of birth of each enrolled person.
Call DHS at 1-800-843-6154 or HFS at 1-800-226-0768. There is no charge, and the card is mailed to you.
No. Medicaid is run by the state for people with limited income and resources. Medicare is a federal program for seniors and some others.
Up to 24 months. Some conditions, such as high blood pressure on treatment or heart disease, mean a 1-year certificate.
What the HFS Medical Card is and how to use it.
Who to call and how to get care while you wait.
Four ways to apply, and what happens next.
DOT physical basics for commercial drivers.
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