Virginia Open Enrollment for 2027 Coverage
Last updated November 3, 2026 · By Frank Caballero, licensed health insurance broker
Short answer
Virginia's Insurance Marketplace sets Virginia's open enrollment dates for 2027 coverage; check its site for this year's deadlines. For 2027 coverage it runs open enrollment from November 1, 2026 to January 29, 2027, with December 15 the deadline for a January 1 start. Private, medically underwritten plans don't use the window: if approved, they can start the first of any month.
Key dates for Virginia
| What | Virginia's Insurance Marketplace |
|---|---|
| Open enrollment opens | November 1, 2026 |
| Open enrollment closes | January 29, 2027 |
| Deadline for a January 1, 2027 start | December 15, 2026 |
| Private plans | Any month, if approved |
Virginia at a glance
- Where Virginia buys Marketplace plans: Virginia's Insurance Marketplace, Virginia's own exchange
- 2027 average rate change: 15.8% to 16.9% (finalized)
- Small-group average change: about 10.7%
- Largest metro areas: Northern Virginia (Arlington–Alexandria–Fairfax), Virginia Beach–Norfolk (Hampton Roads), Richmond and Roanoke
- Medicaid expansion: Yes (a separate program, not tied to this window)
What changed for 2027
Virginia's 16 to 17 percent is finalized, and small-group plans rise about 10.7 percent, so a small employer's renewal may be easier to absorb than an individual one this year. More detail is on the Virginia 2027 premium increase page.
For Virginia households buying 2027 coverage, the Marketplace premium tax credit stops at 400% of the federal poverty level: $63,840 for one person, $86,560 for two, $109,280 for three and $132,000 for four. The repayment caps were removed starting with tax year 2026, so any excess advance credit is repaid in full on Form 8962. General information, not tax advice — confirm with your CPA based on your specific entity structure.
Who this year's window matters for in Virginia
Virginia runs its own exchange, Virginia's Insurance Marketplace, and keeps the window open later than the federal one. Northern Virginia, Richmond, Hampton Roads and southwest Virginia each have different lineups, and the many self-employed federal contractors and consultants above the subsidy line pay the full 16 to 17 percent average. Virginia's reinsurance program, approved through 2027, helps hold premiums down.
Self-employed work that is common in Virginia, and the people I most often help there: federal and defense contractors between contracts, IT and cybersecurity consultants, real estate agents, construction trades, shipyard and maritime contractors in Hampton Roads, military spouses running small businesses, and farm and winery owners.
Before you renew in Virginia
Northern Virginians who see doctors in DC or Maryland should ask whether their plan's directory still lists those doctors for 2027; some Virginia plans are HMOs that cover little outside the state. Government contractors between contracts should know that losing job-based coverage opens a 60-day special enrollment period. Virginia's window runs to January 29, but a January 1 start still means choosing by December 15.
Should you renew, switch, or look at private?
Auto-renew risk
Do nothing and Virginia's Insurance Marketplace re-enrolls you at the new 2027 price, 15.8% to 16.9% higher on average in Virginia.
Healthy, income above the line
Price a private plan in Virginia too. If approved, it can start the first of any month, with no wait for Virginia's window.
Health conditions or subsidy-eligible income
Use the Marketplace. Virginia's Insurance Marketplace plans can't decline you or charge more for your health.
Checklist before you pick a plan
- Your Virginia renewal notice
- The new 2027 premium and deductible
- Doctors and prescriptions still in network, including any care in Northern Virginia or Virginia Beach–Norfolk
- Your 2027 income estimate
Missed it?
After Virginia's window closes, a Marketplace plan needs a special enrollment event: losing other coverage, a move, marriage or a baby, generally within 60 days, through Virginia's Insurance Marketplace. Check with Can I enroll now? or the missed open enrollment guide.
Leaving a job in Virginia? Virginia requires insured group plans that are not subject to federal COBRA, which generally means employers with fewer than 20 employees, to offer 12 months of continuation after at least three months of coverage, at the group rate plus an administrative fee of up to 2 percent.
Short-term plans, if you only need a bridge: Virginia law caps short-term plans at an initial term of three months and no more than six months of coverage in any 12-month period, a state limit that applies regardless of how federal rules are enforced. They are not Marketplace coverage.
In Virginia, a private, medically underwritten plan needs no event. If approved, it starts the first of a month; approval is not guaranteed.
Compare Virginia plans before you renew
Private plans priced first, the Marketplace alongside when it fits. Phone or video, English or Spanish, no fee.
About your broker
Frank Caballero (NPN 21032307) is a health insurance broker licensed in 31 states including Virginia. Phone or video, English or Spanish, no fee. BBB Accredited (A) and rated 4.9 on Google from 78 reviews. He is independent, not Virginia's Insurance Marketplace or a government agency.
Virginia open enrollment questions
When does open enrollment end in Virginia for 2027?
January 29, 2027. Virginia's Insurance Marketplace runs Virginia's window for 2027 coverage from November 1, 2026, with December 15 the deadline for a January 1 start.
What happens if I miss the December 15 deadline in Virginia?
The window stays open to January 29, 2027, but the plan starts after January 1; Virginia's Insurance Marketplace confirms the date.
Can I get a private plan in Virginia outside open enrollment?
Yes. In Virginia you can apply in any month, and if approved, a private, medically underwritten plan starts the first of a month; the insurer can decline based on health.
Will I be auto-renewed in Virginia?
Usually, at the 2027 price: 15.8% to 16.9% higher on average.
Is there a fee to use a broker in Virginia?
No. Virginia clients pay nothing; the insurance company pays the broker, and Marketplace premiums are the same with or without one.
Does Virginia's open enrollment end later than HealthCare.gov's?
Yes. Virginia's Insurance Marketplace runs open enrollment for 2027 coverage from November 1, 2026 to January 29, 2027, two weeks past the federal close, with December 15 the deadline for a January 1 start.
More for Virginia
Official source: Virginia's Insurance Marketplace: special enrollment. Virginia's Insurance Marketplace is Virginia's state-run exchange. FC Insurance Solutions is an independent, licensed brokerage and is not affiliated with any government agency.
Written by Frank Caballero, licensed health insurance broker in Virginia and 30 other states, NPN 21032307. Last updated November 3, 2026.