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Virginia Open Enrollment Nov. 1: Richmond Residents Can Get New 2027 Health Insurance Savings
RICHMOND, Va. — Open enrollment for 2027 health insurance begins Sunday, Nov. 1, giving Virginia residents an opportunity to compare plans, review premiums and determine whether they qualify for new s
By Elliot Vaughn · 2026-11-01T23:58:55.279Z
RICHMOND, Va. — Open enrollment for 2027 health insurance begins Sunday, Nov. 1, giving Virginia residents an opportunity to compare plans, review premiums and determine whether they qualify for new state and federal financial assistance.
Virginians can enroll through Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace , the state’s official health insurance exchange. Open enrollment runs from Nov. 1, 2026, through Jan. 29, 2027 . Residents who enroll by Dec. 31 can have coverage begin Jan. 1.
The 2027 enrollment period is shorter than in previous years, making the Jan. 29 deadline particularly important for consumers who need individual health insurance coverage.
New Virginia health insurance savings begin in 2027 One of the biggest changes this year is the launch of Virginia Premium Savings , a new state program designed to reduce monthly health insurance premiums for eligible residents.
Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace says qualifying consumers may be able to reduce their monthly premium payments by as much as 70% through the new program, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2027.
The state assistance can be combined with federal Advance Premium Tax Credits for eligible households. Consumers must use the full federal tax credit for which they qualify before Virginia Premium Savings is applied.
Virginia officials say funding for the new savings program is limited and available on a first come, first served basis , giving consumers another reason to compare plans early in the open enrollment period.
Virginia insurers sought higher 2027 premiums Nine insurers planned to participate in Virginia’s individual health insurance market for 2027.
When proposed rates were released, insurers requested increases ranging from 3.9% to 22.7% , with an average requested increase of 16.7% per member per month compared with 2026 rates.
Insurers cited several factors behind the proposed increases, including hospital and prescription drug costs, increased health care utilization, market uncertainty and changes to enhanced federal subsidies.
Actual premiums paid by individual consumers can differ considerably based on age, location, plan selection, household income and eligibility for state or federal financial assistance.
What Virginia residents should check Richmond area residents and consumers statewide should compare monthly health insurance premiums, deductibles, co pays, coinsurance, prescription drug coverage and whether preferred doctors and hospitals remain in network.
Virginia insurance regulators specifically recommend checking whether a plan covers the services, doctors and medications a household needs and comparing the total cost of coverage rather than focusing only on the monthly premium.
Residents should also update household and expected income information because those details can affect eligibility for premium tax credits, cost sharing reductions and Virginia Premium Savings.
Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace is the only place where eligible residents can obtain financial assistance such as premium tax credits and cost sharing reductions for qualified Marketplace health plans.
Enrollment deadlines matter Open enrollment runs from Nov. 1 through Jan. 29, 2027 .
Residents who want coverage beginning Jan. 1 should enroll by Dec. 31, 2026 .
After Jan. 29, most consumers will need a qualifying life event to enroll in or change a Marketplace health insurance plan. Events can include losing other health coverage, getting married or divorced, having a baby or experiencing another qualifying change in circumstances.
Virginia residents can compare 2027 health and dental plans, determine whether they qualify for financial assistance and enroll through Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace .