Virginia Open Enrollment 2027 for Early Retirees

Last updated November 3, 2026 · By Frank Caballero, licensed health insurance broker

What 2027 looks like for you

Virginia's average 2027 rate change is 15.8% to 16.9% (finalized). The details are on the Virginia 2027 premium increase page.

For 2027 the subsidy line is $63,840 for one person and $86,560 for a couple. Pension income and withdrawals from pre-tax retirement accounts generally count toward it, and Marketplace prices for the oldest adults can run up to three times those for a 21-year-old, so the early sixties are the costliest years to land just over the line. General information, not tax advice — confirm with your CPA based on your specific entity structure.

Virginia this year

Virginia early retirees enroll on Virginia's Insurance Marketplace, the state's own exchange, and its 2027 window runs through January 29, 2027, later than the federal deadline, with December 15 the cutoff for a January 1 start. The finalized average increase is about 16 to 17 percent, and a state reinsurance program approved through 2027 helps hold premiums down. Northern Virginia, Richmond, Hampton Roads and southwest Virginia each carry their own lineups and hospital systems. Spouses aged 60 to 64 pay near the maximum age rate, and many former federal contractors who retired early sit above the subsidy line.

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. Federal COBRA normally lasts 18 months, so it rarely covers the whole stretch to 65 on its own.

One thing to do before you choose

Small Virginia employers, those under the federal COBRA size line, must offer a year of continuation to anyone enrolled three months or more, priced at the group rate plus an administrative fee no higher than 2 percent. Use the extra January weeks wisely: if you still need to pin down 2027 income from a pension or a final consulting payment, you have until January 29 to enroll, though coverage then begins after January 1.

Your checklist

• Which accounts you will draw from in 2027
• Networks where you live, in and outside Virginia
• Your prescriptions on each drug list
• The month you turn 65

Private plan or Marketplace?

About your broker

Frank Caballero (NPN 21032307), licensed in 31 states including Virginia. Phone or video, English or Spanish, no fee; independent, not HealthCare.gov or any government agency.

Official source: Virginia's Insurance Marketplace: special enrollment. 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.