Open enrollment for 2027 Affordable Care Act coverage began Nov. 1 in most states, but Virginia shoppers have more time than their neighbors: the commonwealth's state-run marketplace stays open through Jan. 29, while the deadline to enroll in coverage starting Jan. 1 is Dec. 31. That extra runway comes as Virginia insurers have proposed steep rate increases for next year, and as a new $150 million state program aims to soften the blow for some residents.
Virginia's Enrollment Window and a New State Fund
Virginia's state Marketplace open enrollment period runs from Nov. 1 through Jan. 29, according to Cardinal News. To secure coverage that begins Jan. 1, 2027, residents need to sign up by Dec. 31. The state has set aside $150 million for its new Virginia Premium Savings program, which is available to residents whose household incomes fall between 138% and 250% of the federal poverty level.
Virginia's Health Benefit Exchange estimates that about 200,000 Virginians could qualify for the extra savings in 2027, the same report notes. That funding arrives alongside a rockier picture nationally: nationwide, enrollment through HealthCare.gov runs through Jan. 15, a shorter window than Virginia's own exchange. Consumers' average out-of-pocket costs for Virginia Marketplace premiums already climbed by about 75% in 2026, according to the Cardinal News report.
Rate Increases Vary Widely by Insurer
Virginia insurers have proposed 2027 rate increases ranging from 3.9% to 22.7%, with an average proposed increase of 16.7% across the marketplace, per Cardinal News. Those figures are proposed, not finalized, but the spread between carriers is notable: Sentara proposed an average increase of 22.7% for 2027, while Anthem proposed a comparatively modest 7.8% average increase, the outlet reported.
The state-level picture tracks a broader national trend. KFF reports that finalized benchmark silver premiums are expected to rise 13% on average nationwide for 2027, with increases running higher in states that operate their own enrollment platforms, like Virginia, compared with states that rely on HealthCare.gov. KFF's analysis also found that 11 carriers had announced plans to exit at least one state for 2027 as of late October, while seven carriers announced plans to enter new states.
Enrollment Numbers Already Sliding
The retreat in coverage isn't just about future premiums — it's already showing up in enrollment data. Marketplace plan selections fell by 1.2 million during the 2026 Open Enrollment Period compared with 2025, according to KFF. The Congressional Budget Office has projected that ACA Marketplace enrollment nationally will decline from a peak of 22.4 million in 2025 to 13.1 million in 2027. As of February 2026, an estimated 19.2 million people were enrolled in ACA Exchange plans, according to HHS figures with lower confidence than other data in this report.
Part of that decline traces back to a federal effort targeting what officials called fraudulent sign-ups. In September 2026, HHS reported canceling coverage for approximately 760,000 people it described as “phantom” enrollees, per KFF's tracking of the open enrollment period. The agency's accounting places that cancellation squarely within the broader enrollment trends KFF has documented heading into 2027.
What Federal Guidance Says About Immigrant Eligibility
Federal guidance issued ahead of the 2027 plan year addresses who remains eligible for marketplace coverage and subsidies. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, there is no change to the existing requirement that an individual must be lawfully present to enroll in a marketplace qualified health plan. The guidance also states that legislation requires exchanges to verify an individual's eligible-alien status whenever a premium tax credit is being claimed for that person's coverage.
Separately, the enrollment deadline picture for coverage starting Jan. 1 appears to differ depending on which site shoppers consult. HealthCare.gov instructs shoppers to enroll by Dec. 15 for coverage starting Jan. 1, a date that differs from the Dec. 31 deadline Virginia's own exchange has set for its state marketplace. Residents should confirm which deadline applies to their specific marketplace before finalizing a plan.
What It Means for Local Shoppers
For Virginia households shopping for 2027 coverage, the combination of a longer state enrollment window, a new $150 million savings program, and insurer-by-insurer rate swings means the stakes of comparing plans carefully are higher than in past years. The marketplace landscape is shifting on multiple fronts at once — premiums, carrier participation, and federal verification rules — even as the core eligibility requirement for lawful presence remains unchanged. With Virginia's window open until Jan. 29, residents have time to weigh those shifting numbers before making a final decision.
