West Virginia open enrollment 2027 Open enrollment · West Virginia

West Virginia Open Enrollment 2027 for Small Business Owners

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

Short answer

For small business owners in West Virginia, open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov, and December 15 is the date to choose by for a January 1 start. Your own coverage can also come from a private, medically underwritten plan, which does not wait for the window: if approved, it can start the first of any month.

What 2027 looks like for you

West Virginia's average 2027 rate change is 14.9% (finalized). The details are on the West Virginia 2027 premium increase page.

Group plans can renew at any point in the year, so open enrollment matters to owners for two reasons: an individual coverage HRA, or ICHRA, reimburses employees for individual plans they choose, and most of that shopping happens in this window; and an owner covering only the household buys in the individual market too. For your own household, the 2027 subsidy line is $63,840 for one person, $86,560 for two and $132,000 for four.

West Virginia this year

West Virginia employers face sizable increases on both sides for 2027, with group plans rising a little faster. Small-group renewals are about 15.8 percent on average, against final individual increases of about 14.9 percent, in a state that already carried premiums among the highest in the country. Plan choice is limited across much of the state on HealthCare.gov, and mountain roads make the distance to an in-network hospital a real concern. For a natural gas contractor, a Morgantown healthcare consultancy, an outdoor outfitter near the New River Gorge or an Eastern Panhandle business, an ICHRA deserves a careful look.

Small-group plans in West Virginia average about 15.8% for 2027, against 14.9% for individual plans, so put this year's group renewal next to an ICHRA quote before you sign it.

One thing to do before you choose

Ask for the group renewal in writing and compare it to individual plans for employees in Charleston, Huntington and Parkersburg. Check how far each worker would drive to an in-network hospital, since that can count for more than price. Staff around Martinsburg who commute toward DC may need a network that reaches across state lines, so check that early.

Your checklist

Your 2027 group renewal letter and its effective date
How many employees you have and where they live
A fixed monthly ICHRA budget you could offer
Your own household's coverage, priced separately

Private plan or Marketplace?

Private plan

For the owner's own household when everyone is healthy: priced on age, ZIP code and health. Approval depends on health answers; not an ACA Marketplace plan.

Marketplace

For employees on an ICHRA, or an owner with ongoing care: HealthCare.gov accepts everyone during open enrollment.

Compare West Virginia plans this open enrollment

Private plans priced first, the Marketplace alongside when it fits. Phone or video, English or Spanish, no fee.

Get a quote Book a call (786) 218-2384

About your broker

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

Questions

When is the 2027 open enrollment deadline in West Virginia?

January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov. Choose by December 15, 2026 for coverage that starts January 1; plans picked after that start February 1.

If I lay off a worker at my West Virginia company, can that worker keep our group plan?

West Virginia requires group policies to let members who are involuntarily laid off keep the same coverage, paying the group rate, for up to 18 months. The state provision is written for layoffs rather than every kind of job loss, so a resignation may not qualify.

Can I get a private plan in West Virginia after open enrollment closes?

Yes. You can apply in any month and, if approved, a private plan can start the first of a month; the insurer can decline based on health answers.

More for West Virginia

Official sources: HealthCare.gov, the federal Marketplace; HealthCare.gov: special enrollment periods. 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 West Virginia and 30 other states, NPN 21032307. Last updated November 3, 2026.