How health insurance prices vary by region

An analysis conducted for The Associated Press found that average insurance prices are rising in some parts of Illinois, but not in Chicago where competition is strong. The review conducted by independent consulting company Stonegate Advisors used a sampling to determine the average monthly insurance costs for three hypothetical households - a fast-food cook, a teacher and a family of four - in Chicago, Springfield and Belleville.

Here's a look at the analysis:

FAST-FOOD COOK

A 30-year-old fast-food cook living in Chicago and making $18,000 a year could expect to pay, on average, $66 a month of a bronze plan after receiving financial assistance. The same worker could expect to pay $111 a month for a silver plan, also after a subsidy. Those average prices are cheaper for 2015 - by 33 percent and 29 percent - than the average of what's available this year to the same worker.

In Springfield, the fast food cook could get a bronze plan for $52 a month or a silver plan for $106 a month, after subsidies. In Belleville, the cook could get a bronze plan for $46 a month or a silver plan for $93 a month, after the tax credit. Those 2015 prices are higher than this year - by 68 percent and 100 percent for the bronze plans, and by 5 percent and 4 percent for the silver plans.

PRESCHOOL TEACHER

A 50-year-old preschool teacher living in Chicago and making $30,000 a year could expect to pay $210 a month for a bronze plan, or $281 a month for a silver plan, after qualifying for a tax credit. Those average prices are cheaper than this year by 20 percent.

In Springfield, the preschool teacher would pay $188 a month for a bronze plan or $274 a month for a silver plan. In Belleville, the teacher would pay $180 a month for a bronze plan or $254 a month for a silver plan. The 2015 prices are higher, by 20 and 25 percent for the bronze plans in Springfield and Belleville, on average. The 2015 price for the average silver plan is higher by 3 percent in Springfield and by 2 percent in Belleville.

FAMILY

A Chicago 40-year-old freelance writer making $60,000 a year with a stay-at-home spouse and two children would pay $413 a month for a bronze plan or $565 a month for a silver plan after financial assistance. Again, the average Chicago prices got cheaper compared to this year, by 21 percent, for this hypothetical family.

In Springfield, the family would pay $367 a month for a bronze plan or $549 a month for a silver plan, more expensive than in the first year by 36 percent and 11 percent. In Belleville, the family would pay $348 a month for a bronze plan and $508 a month for a silver plan. Here, the hypothetical family would pay more for the average bronze plan by 18 percent, but the average silver plan went down in price by 5 percent