Virginia Open Enrollment 2027: Dates, Deadlines, and Employer Guide

HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment Dates for Virginia

Virginia uses the federally facilitated marketplace (HealthCare.gov) for individual health insurance enrollment.

Important notes for Virginia enrollees:

• Auto-renewal: If you're enrolled through HealthCare.gov in Virginia and don't make changes, your plan will auto-renew. Review your plan annually — premiums, networks, and formularies change every year.

• Cover Virginia: Virginia's state health insurance assistance program (CoverVA.org) provides free help with enrollment, Medicaid applications, and the Family Access to Medical Insurance Security (FAMIS) program for children's coverage.

• Virginia Medicaid: Virginia expanded Medicaid in 2019. Employees who may qualify for Medicaid should check eligibility through CoverVA.org before enrolling in marketplace coverage, as Medicaid provides more comprehensive coverage at lower cost.

Enrolling Outside Open Enrollment in Virginia

Qualifying life events that trigger a special enrollment period in Virginia:

• Job loss or loss of employer-sponsored coverage

• Marriage or divorce

• Birth or adoption

• Moving to a new ZIP code or state

• Loss of Medicaid/CHIP coverage (including Medicaid redetermination)

• Turning 26 and aging off a parent's plan

• Being newly offered ICHRA by your employer

For ICHRA employers: Launching ICHRA triggers a special enrollment period for all eligible employees. You don't have to wait for HealthCare.gov's open enrollment window to start offering benefits.

How Virginia ICHRA Employers Handle Open Enrollment

If you offer ICHRA to Virginia employees, open enrollment is simpler than with a group plan:

1. No group plan renewal: Your employee health budgets continue year-round. No carrier negotiations, no renewal shock.

2. Employee choice: Employees review their options on HealthCare.gov or off-exchange. Virginia's competitive market (7+ carriers in most areas) gives employees real choice — see our Virginia carrier guide for regional availability.

3. Regional considerations: Employees in NoVA have 7+ carriers to choose from. Employees in Southwest Virginia may have 2-3. During OE, remind employees in lower-carrier areas to check off-exchange options for additional choices.

4. Multi-state teams: If you have employees in Virginia, Maryland, and DC, each employee follows their own state's enrollment schedule. Virginia and DC follow HealthCare.gov dates. Maryland follows Maryland Health Connection dates (which may differ). Thatch tracks all state schedules.

Employer OE checklist:

• Review employee health budget amounts — adjust if needed for the new plan year

• Communicate OE dates to all Virginia employees

• Remind employees to review plans even if they plan to auto-renew

• Ensure new hires know how to enroll through Thatch

FAQs

When is open enrollment for health insurance in Virginia?

Virginia follows the federal HealthCare.gov open enrollment schedule. Check HealthCare.gov for confirmed dates — typically November 1 through January 15.

What if I miss open enrollment in Virginia?

You'll need a qualifying life event to enroll outside of open enrollment. ICHRA employers: offering ICHRA for the first time triggers a special enrollment period for all eligible employees, regardless of the calendar.

What carriers are available during Virginia open enrollment?

Virginia has 7+ carriers in most areas. Northern Virginia has the most options (Anthem, CareFirst, Kaiser, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Oscar, Innovation Health, Aetna). Hampton Roads adds Sentara and Optima. Southwest Virginia typically has 2-3 carriers on-exchange, with additional off-exchange options. See our full Virginia carrier breakdown.

What if I work in Virginia but live in Maryland or DC?

You purchase health insurance based on where you live, not where you work. If you live in Maryland, you'd shop on Maryland Health Connection. If you live in DC, you'd use DC Health Link. ICHRA works regardless of which state marketplace you use.

Can my employer start ICHRA outside of Virginia open enrollment?

Yes. Employers can launch ICHRA at any time. Employees receive a special enrollment period to purchase individual coverage on HealthCare.gov or off-exchange, even outside the standard open enrollment window.

Will Virginia switch to its own health insurance exchange?

Virginia has introduced legislation to transition from HealthCare.gov to a state-based exchange (similar to Maryland Health Connection and DC Health Link). If enacted, enrollment would move to a Virginia-run platform. ICHRA mechanics and tax treatment remain identical regardless of the enrollment platform. Thatch monitors these transitions and updates accordingly.