Virginia open enrollment dates last from November 1, 2024 to January 15, 2025. During these dates, you can purchase, change, or renew healthcare coverage.

Virginia also allows for special enrollment considerations for those who have qualifying events. Those qualifying events typically require that you already had health insurance coverage before experiencing a life event such as marriage or the birth of a child. However, many exceptional circumstances can help someone qualify.

Not from Virginia? See a list on open enrollment dates for every state. Keep reading to learn more about the Open Enrollment Period in Virginia.

How Open Enrollment Works

Frequently asked questions: Virginia open enrollment dates

When is open enrollment in Virginia this year?

Virginia open enrollment starts on November 1st and ends on January 15th. You cannot purchase insurance from the exchange outside these dates without a special need stemming from a qualifying event. If in doubt, it’s always possible to consult a list on open enrollment dates.

What type of health insurance marketplace does Virginia utilize?

The health insurance marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, aren’t all the same. Every state must have a health insurance exchange for individual & family health insurance. The federal government runs some of the exchanges for many states. Some states run their own exchanges using the federal government’s marketplace platform.

Virginia transitioned to a fully state-run Virginia health exchange marketplace near the end of 2023.

Does VA open enrollment for Obamacare apply in all Virginia cities?

All Virginians in every county, city, and town have access to the healthcare exchange, as well as Obamacare in Virginia. Not all insurers cover people in all parts of the state, but all parts of the state have access to plans from several insurers.

What if I miss Open Enrollment in Virginia?

If you miss the Open Enrollment period for health insurance in Virginia, you may still have options through a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). A Special Enrollment Period allows you to enroll in or change your health plan outside the typical Open Enrollment window if you experience qualifying life events. These events include significant life changes such as getting married, having a baby, losing other health coverage, or moving to a new area that offers different health plan options.

To use a Special Enrollment Period, you typically must apply within 60 days of the qualifying event. If you miss this window, you might have to wait until the next Open Enrollment period to apply for health insurance, unless you experience another qualifying event. It’s important to act quickly after any qualifying event to ensure you maintain continuous health coverage.

Costs of Virginia health insurance

 The below numbers are based off the lowest priced plan for a single 40-year-old woman living in Virginia.

Location	Average Lowest-Cost Bronze Premium	Average Lowest-Cost Silver Premium	Average Benchmark Premium	Average Lowest-Cost Gold Premium
United States	$364	$468	$477	$488
Virginia	$284	$370	$371	$371

What’s the average cost of a health insurance plan in Virginia?

The average cost of a health insurance plan in Virginia is $495 per person. However, in recent years, rates and premiums for healthcare insurance in Virginia have seen declines. The marketplace offers insurance tiers which can help someone determine the general cost of a particular health insurance offering. Health insurance costs can vary a great deal depending on numerous factors.

Those factors can include location, age, the type of plan, the number of people you want to cover, any additional plan add-ons beyond the basic coverage, and a host of other things. In addition, it’s important for people to look at the overall cost of health insurance and not just a single price point, such as the premium.

Prices can change yearly, and average amounts don’t always paint the best picture when it comes to your needs specifically. In addition, Obamacare in Virginia can also come with subsidies, like a tax credit, which can lower costs even further.

How much can Virginians save on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs with a major medical health plan?

Because of how these insurance plans work, you can optimize a plan around prescription medication needs. For example, health insurance plans that comply with the Affordable Care Act in Virginia must include prescription medication and services as part of the plan, rather than as a separate cost. That alone can help Virginians mitigate out-of-pocket costs. In addition, the Affordable Care Act laws in Virginia expanded the minimum number and types of prescription medication an insurer must cover.

Finding a plan on the exchange that includes your medications can help to drastically lower or eliminate any out-of-pocket expenses associated with your prescription medication needs. A drug coverage comparison tool, such as the one offered by eHealth, can help you figure out how much you can save on your prescription medication costs.

Understanding your health insurance options in Virginia

Navigating your health insurance options in Virginia offers a variety of choices, ensuring you can find a plan that suits your specific needs and budget. Beyond the Virginia health insurance marketplace, where you can access ACA-compliant plans, there are additional alternatives to consider. These include short-term health insurance plans, which are ideal for covering gaps between longer-term insurance coverage, such as in the case of changing jobs or other temporary situations where you find yourself uninsured. Additionally, packaged medical insurance plans are available, which can include added benefits like vision and dental coverage. These packages can be tailored to provide a comprehensive insurance solution that covers more than just basic health needs, offering an all-in-one approach for those who value convenience and extended coverage. Each type of plan comes with its own set of benefits and limitations, so it’s important to carefully assess what type of coverage is best for your circumstances.

Types of plans available during Virginia open enrollment

During Virginia’s open enrollment period, residents have a variety of health insurance plan categories to choose from, each designed to meet different healthcare needs and budget constraints. The plans are structured into four metal categories: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.

• Bronze plans: These are the most affordable in terms of monthly premiums but have the highest out-of-pocket costs when care is needed. They are suitable for those who want protection from worst-case medical scenarios.
• Silver plans: These offer moderate monthly premiums and moderate costs when you need care. Silver plans are particularly important because they are the only plans where eligible enrollees can apply for cost-sharing reductions, which further lower the out-of-pocket costs for care.
• Gold plans: These have high monthly premiums but lower costs when you get care. Gold plans are beneficial for those who expect to need a lot of medical care throughout the year.
• Platinum plans: These plans have the highest monthly premiums and the lowest costs when you need medical care. They are ideal for those who frequently require medical attention and want the peace of mind that comes with higher coverage.

In addition to these, there are Catastrophic plans, which are designed to provide an emergency safety net for those under 30 or those who qualify through a hardship exemption or affordability exemption (based on marketplace or employer plans being too expensive). Catastrophic plans cover 3 primary care visits per year at no cost and protect from very high medical costs but have very high deductibles.

Understanding these options can help Virginians make informed decisions about their health insurance during open enrollment, ensuring they choose a plan that best suits their health needs and financial situation. Each plan type offers different levels of coverage and out-of-pocket expenses, which are important to consider based on your usual healthcare usage and anticipated needs.

Companies in the Virginia health insurance marketplace

Explore the diverse range of insurance providers operating within the Virginia health insurance marketplace, each offering unique plans and benefits tailored to meet various health needs and preferences.

2024 Individual On Exchange Carriers in Virginia:

• Aetna Health, Inc.
• Aetna Life Insurance Co.
• CareFirst BlueChoice, Inc.
• Cigna Health and Life Insurance Co.
• Group Hospitalization and Medical Services, Inc.
• Healthkeepers, Inc.
• Innovation Health Plan, Inc.
• Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc.
• Optimum Choice, Inc.
• Oscar Insurance Co.
• Sentara Health Plans

2024 SHOP Carriers:

• CareFirst BlueChoice, Inc.
• Group Hospitalization and Medical Services, Inc.
• Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc.

How to find affordable health insurance during Virginia open enrollment

1. Assess your personal needs: Do you need Rx coverage? Do you have a doctor you like? It is wise to consider the healthcare services you have – and, if applicable, your family – has received in the past. Think about any large healthcare services – such as surgeries or other expensive procedures – that you may want to schedule for the upcoming year.
   These are important things to consider when choosing a health insurance plan that will protect both your, and your family’s health and your wallet.
2. Research available options in Virginia: Start at eHealth.com to compare Obamacare plans, short-term plans and other alternatives.
3. Understand which options you can qualify for: You can enroll in any Obamacare plan during Open Enrollment in Virginia. For short-term health insurance and other medical insurance alternatives, you can apply any time, but you typically need to answer medical questions and may be declined. Keep in mind that you may apply outside of open enrollment if you have experienced something called a qualifying life event which triggers a special enrollment period. If you experience a qualifying life event, you will have a 60-day period to enroll in major medical health insurance.
   Keep in mind that you will have to prove that you’ve experienced one of these life events. You can read more about special enrollment periods on eHealth’s resource center.
4. See if you qualify for discounts: ACA plans may be available to you with a tax credit, which can save you hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars on monthly premiums. Tax credits are only available for ACA plans, which can be bought during the Open Enrollment Period in Virginia. Keep in mind that in order to qualify for these tax credits, you will need to meet income requirements.
5. Make sure your prescriptions are covered: eHealth.com provides a prescription drug coverage comparison tool that helps you find the plan that covers your drugs with the lowest out-of-pocket cost.
6. Make sure your doctor is covered: eHealth has a physician finder tool that lets you compare plans using your preferred doctor. This will help make sure whatever plan you choose is within network. Keeping preferred providers is a very important factor when shopping for health insurance.
7. Enroll online: eHealth makes it easy to complete your health insurance application online, even if you qualify for a tax credit.

Find health insurance in Virginia with eHealth

When Virginia open enrollment comes around, you should spend some time comparing the different plans offered by health insurance providers in your area. At eHealth, you can quickly see what health insurance options are available to you simply by entering your zip code. eHealth can help you decide what type of health insurance plan or Medicare coverage options in Virginia is the right one for your needs.

• Open Enrollment
• Obamacare
• Premium Tax Credits