SMA ACFT ENCOUNTERED ICING AT THE ALT HE WAS CLRED TO. PLT IS NOT HAPPY FLYING OVER LAKE MICHIGAN AT A LOW ALT; SO FAR FROM SHORE.

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FLT FROM CVG TO UGN FOR ACFT REPOSITION; HAD JUST COME FROM ORD TO CVG TO RETRIEVE PERSONAL ACFT. CHKED WX IN CVG OPS PRIOR TO DEP. BASES IN ORD AREA 1400 FT; TOPS AT 5300 FT. EVERYTHING WAS FINE UNTIL CONTACT WITH ORD APCH AND WAS TOLD TO DSND TO 4000 FT (INTO CLOUDS; OAT ABOUT -8 DEGS C). EXPERIENCED LIGHT AIRFRAME ICE BUT ENOUGH PROP ICE TO CAUSE MILD VIBRATION BUT SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF THRUST. REQUESTED AND RECEIVED 6000 FT (IN THE CLR). WAS SUBSEQUENTLY GIVEN RPTS OF OTHER ACFT OPERATING AT 4000 FT WITH NO RPTED ICE BUT I INSISTED ON MAINTAINING VFR ON TOP AND INITIATING ILS INTO UGN FROM THAT ALT -- STARTING WITH A NOW ICE FREE ACFT. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO OPERATE IFR IN THE ORD AREA. ALL NON AIRLINERS ARE PUSHED WAY DOWN LOW OVER THE LAKE AT A VERY GREAT DISTANCE FROM THE FIELD. VERY FEW ROUTING AND ALT CHOICES ARE AVAILABLE TO GA ACFT. I'D LIKE TO SEE GREATER FLEXIBILITY IN ALTS AND ROUTING AVAILABLE TO GA ACFT OPERATING INTO AND OUT OF SATELLITE ARPTS. IT'S VERY SCARY TO BE SO FAR OUT TO SEA AT SUCH A LOW ALT.