Quick answer
In 2026, the benchmark silver plan on Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace averaged $455 a month for a 40-year-old before subsidies, well below the U.S. average of $625. Prices rise with age, from about $356 a month at 21 to $966 at 60. Most enrollees get a federal tax credit, and for 2027 Virginia is adding its own premium help for people with incomes from 138% to 250% of the poverty level. Approved increases average about 17% for 2027, and Cigna is leaving.
Key takeaways
- Virginia’s 2026 benchmark premium for a 40-year-old was about $170 below the national average.
- About 370,000 Virginians picked a plan for 2026, and 78% got a premium tax credit.
- New for 2027, Virginia Premium Savings lowers premiums for Marketplace enrollees with incomes from 138% to 250% of the poverty level.
- Approved 2027 increases average about 17% before subsidies. Cigna is leaving the Marketplace.
- Open enrollment for 2027 runs from November 1, 2026 to January 29, 2027. Sign up by December 15 for coverage starting January 1.
On this page
What a Virginia Marketplace plan costs before subsidies
| Age | Benchmark silver plan, per month (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|
| 21 | $356 |
| 30 | $404 |
| 40 | $455 |
| 50 | $636 |
| 60 | $966 |
| 64 | $1,068 |
| Child under 15 | $272 |
A family of four with two 40-year-old parents and two young children would pay about $1,454 a month for benchmark plans before subsidies.
What you’d pay after a tax credit
If your household income is between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level, a premium tax credit caps what you pay for the benchmark plan at a share of your income. A single 40-year-old in Virginia earning $40,000 would pay about $287 a month for the benchmark plan in 2026, with a tax credit of about $168. For 2027, the same person’s share would be about $289 a month. Above 400% of the poverty level ($62,600 for one person for 2026 coverage, $63,840 for 2027), you’d pay full price.
Virginia Premium Savings for 2027
Virginia created a state subsidy for 2027, funded with $150 million. It’s for households with incomes from 138% to 250% of the poverty level: above $22,025 up to $39,900 a year for one person, or above $45,540 up to $82,500 for a family of four. The $40,000 earner in the example above is just over the limit. It’s applied automatically when you buy a bronze, silver, gold or platinum plan through Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace, and the state estimates about 200,000 people will benefit, with some saving as much as 70% on their monthly premium. It isn’t available for catastrophic plans or plans bought outside the Marketplace.
Costs beyond the premium
What you pay when you get care depends on your plan’s deductible, copays and coinsurance, up to the out-of-pocket maximum of $10,600 for one person in 2026 ($12,000 in 2027). If your income is under 250% of the poverty level, a silver plan’s cost-sharing reductions lower those costs.
Virginia Marketplace facts
- Marketplace: Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace, the state-run exchange since fall 2023.
- Enrollment: 370,086 plan selections for 2026, down about 5% from 2025. Enrollees paid an average of $215 a month after tax credits, and roughly 100,000 Virginians have dropped Marketplace coverage in 2026 because of higher costs.
- Insurers: Eight in 2026: CareFirst, Cigna, GHMSI, HealthKeepers (Anthem), Kaiser Permanente, Optimum Choice, Oscar and Sentara. Cigna is leaving for 2027. If you’re a Cigna member, see what to do if your insurance company leaves the Marketplace.
- 2027 prices: Final rates were approved in September 2026. ACA Signups puts the average increase at about 16.9% before subsidies, and regulators cut Optimum Choice’s increase to 3.9% from the 15.9% it requested.
- State help: Virginia Premium Savings (new for 2027) and a reinsurance program that has lowered unsubsidized premiums since 2023.
- Medicaid: Virginia expanded Medicaid in 2019, covering adults with incomes up to 138% of the poverty level. State law would end the expansion if federal funding dropped below 90%, and the state has set aside a $350 million Medicaid reserve fund. Starting January 1, 2027, many adults in the expansion group will need to meet federal work requirements. See Medicaid work requirements.
When to enroll
Open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs from November 1, 2026 to January 29, 2027, two weeks longer than on HealthCare.gov. Sign up by December 15 for coverage that starts January 1. For ways to keep your bill down, see how to lower your Marketplace premium.
Other options in Virginia
- Job-based coverage, usually the cheapest route if it’s offered.
- Medicaid and FAMIS for adults and children who qualify, through Cover Virginia; see health insurance for low-income families.
- Medicare at 65.
Health insurance costs in other states: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington.
See 2027 plans and prices in your Virginia county: compare quotes by ZIP code.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the average cost of health insurance in Virginia?
Before subsidies, the 2026 benchmark silver plan for a 40-year-old averaged $455 a month. After tax credits, enrollees paid an average of $215 a month in 2026.
What is Virginia Premium Savings?
A new state subsidy for 2027 that lowers Marketplace premiums for people with incomes from 138% to 250% of the poverty level. It’s applied automatically when you buy a metal-level plan through Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace.
When is open enrollment for 2027 in Virginia?
November 1, 2026 to January 29, 2027 through Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace. Sign up by December 15 for coverage starting January 1.
Sources
- Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace: Federal changes to the Marketplace
- Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace: What is Open Enrollment?
- Office of the Governor: Final budget investments in health care (June 2026)
- WHRO: New Virginia fund could lower insurance marketplace premiums
- ACA Signups: Virginia 2027 rate filings
- KFF: Average marketplace benchmark premiums by state
This article is general information, not insurance or tax advice. Prices are averages and estimates; your actual premium depends on your county, age, income and plan. Last reviewed September 2026.