Virginia Health Insurance Rates for 2027: What Is Changing
Average individual-market change
15.8% to 16.9%
Status
Final rates
Small-group average change
10.7%
2027 out-of-pocket max
$12,000 / $24,000
Virginia's finalized 2027 increase averages about 16 to 17 percent for the individual market, depending on the tracker, with small-group plans up about 10.7 percent.
Virginians enroll through Virginia's Insurance Marketplace, the state's own exchange, which sets its own enrollment dates. Northern Virginia, Richmond, Hampton Roads and southwest Virginia each have different plan lineups and hospital systems. Virginia's many federal contractors and consultants who work for themselves are often above the subsidy line and pay the full increase, which makes private plans worth comparing.
Small employers in Virginia face a lower group increase than individual buyers, about 10.7 percent, which may make keeping a group plan more attractive than in states where small-group renewals are rising faster.
Private health insurance in Virginia
Most people I help in Virginia end up on a private plan, not a Marketplace plan. Private, medically underwritten health insurance is priced on your age, zip code and health instead of your income, so a strong year never raises your premium and there is no tax credit to pay back in April.
Why people leave the Marketplace
- Premiums keep climbing. Virginia Marketplace premiums are rising 15.8% to 16.9% on average for 2027.
- The subsidy cliff. Above 400 percent of the poverty level ($63,840 for one person, $132,000 for a family of four) you pay full price.
- Surprise tax bills. Underestimate your income and you repay the tax credit in April.
- Narrow networks. Many plans are local HMOs or EPOs that need referrals and cover little outside the area.
- High out-of-pocket costs. 2027 out-of-pocket maximums reach $12,000 per person and $24,000 per family.
- One window a year. Outside open enrollment you need a qualifying life event to enroll or switch.
What a private plan does differently
- Start any month. If approved, coverage can begin the first of next month, with no wait for open enrollment.
- Networks that travel. Many private plans use national PPO networks, which can give you in-network doctors outside Virginia too. Networks vary by plan.
- Can cost less than full-price Marketplace plans for some healthy applicants above the subsidy line.
- Accident coverage the Marketplace does not offer. A private plan can be paired with accident coverage, a separate policy. What it includes varies by plan.
- Approval is based on health. You answer health questions, and acceptance is not guaranteed.
With a significant health condition, or income low enough for a large tax credit, a Marketplace plan can be the better fit, and I will tell you if it is. Either way you see both side by side.
Private plans are not ACA Marketplace plans. Benefits, exclusions and pre-existing condition rules differ by plan and by state, so review the plan details before you enroll.
Get a private plan quoteLearn more: coverage not based on income · how underwriting works · private vs Obamacare · PPO plans for individuals · switching from the Marketplace
Who feels the Virginia increase
If your household gets a premium tax credit, your payment for the benchmark silver plan is capped as a share of income, so most of a rate increase is absorbed by a larger credit. If your household earns more than 400 percent of the poverty level for 2027, $63,840 for one person or $132,000 for a family of four, there is no credit and you pay the full 15.8% to 16.9% increase. The subsidy cliff guide explains the line. Healthy and above that line? Compare private health insurance in Virginia, priced on age, ZIP and health instead of income, if approved.
Where and when to enroll in Virginia
Virginia residents enroll through Virginia's Insurance Marketplace, the state's own exchange, which publishes its own 2027 open enrollment dates. Private, medically underwritten plans are not tied to open enrollment and can start the first of any month if you are approved.
Virginia 2027 rate questions
How much are Virginia premiums increasing in 2027?
About 16 to 17 percent on average for the individual market and about 10.7 percent for small-group plans, based on final rates.
Where do Virginians enroll?
Through Virginia's Insurance Marketplace, the state's own exchange, using its calendar.
Do Virginia plan options vary by region?
Yes. Northern Virginia, Richmond, Hampton Roads and southwest Virginia have different insurers and networks.
What is the 2027 out-of-pocket maximum for Virginia Marketplace plans?
The federal limit for 2027 is $12,000 for one person and $24,000 for a family, up from $10,600 and $21,200 in 2026. It applies to every ACA-compliant plan in Virginia, and individual plans can set a lower limit.
Sources: rate-filing trackers at healthinsurance.org (rechecked November 11, 2026) and ACASignups.net. Averages are across insurers; your own renewal depends on your plan, county and age. More on health insurance in Virginia. Esta página en español.
Other states
Written by Frank Caballero, licensed health insurance agent, NPN 21032307. Last updated November 11, 2026.