Health insurance cost in Virginia
If you're moving to Virginia without job-based coverage, here's what a Marketplace plan costs before subsidies. Virginia ranks #4 of 51 for the lowest benchmark premium.
Monthly premium by age
| Age | Benchmark silver | Cheapest bronze |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | $356 | $274 |
| 30 | $404 | $312 |
| 40 | $455 | $351 |
| 50 | $636 | $490 |
| 60 | $966 | $746 |
| 64 | $1,068 | $824 |
Scaled from the age-40 average with the federal default age curve, which lets insurers charge a 64-year-old up to 3× what a 21-year-old pays. Excludes tobacco surcharges.
The Virginia benchmark rose 22% for 2026, less than the 26% national increase, leaving it 27% below the U.S. average for a 40-year-old.
What is different in Virginia
- Where to enroll
- Virginia's Insurance Marketplace
- Open enrollment for 2027
- Check the marketplace
- Marketplace insurers, 2026
- 7
- Medicaid expansion
- Since Jan 2019
- Penalty if uninsured
- None
- Average paid after credits, 2026
- $215/mo
- Where and when. Virginia runs its own marketplace, Virginia's Insurance Marketplace, so you apply there rather than at HealthCare.gov. Virginia's Insurance Marketplace sets its own open-enrollment dates. We couldn't confirm the 2027 dates on an official page when we checked in September 2026, so check its site before you move.
- Choice of insurers. 7 insurers sell Marketplace plans in Virginia for 2026, down from 8 in 2025. Not every insurer sells in every county, so your choices depend on where you live. 370,086 people picked a Marketplace plan here for 2026, down 5% from 2025.
- What enrollees paid. Enrollees here paid an average of $215 a month after tax credits for 2026, up 59% from the $135 they paid for 2025 (U.S. average: $178). Before credits, the plans they chose averaged $575.
- Medicaid. Virginia expanded Medicaid in January 2019. Adults with income up to 138% of the federal poverty level can generally get Medicaid instead of a Marketplace plan. A state "trigger" law would end the expansion or force cost cuts if federal funding for it is reduced.
- Going uninsured. Virginia doesn't charge a penalty for going without coverage, and the federal penalty ended after 2018. In 2024, 6.8% of residents had no health insurance (U.S.: 8.2%), and 4.9% bought their own coverage.
Subsidies in 2026
The enhanced premium tax credits of 2021–2025 expired, so 2026 follows the original ACA rules: credits are available for household incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level, and you're expected to pay between about 2.1% and 9.96% of income for the benchmark plan. Above 400% there's no federal credit. Check your price at Virginia's Insurance Marketplace.
Frequently asked questions
How much is health insurance in Virginia in 2026?
The benchmark silver plan for a 40-year-old averages $455 a month before subsidies, and the cheapest bronze plan $351 (KFF analysis of CMS data). That's up 22% from 2025.
How much does health insurance cost for a 60-year-old in Virginia?
About $966 a month for the benchmark silver plan before subsidies, using the federal default age curve.
Did Virginia expand Medicaid?
Virginia expanded Medicaid in January 2019. Adults with income up to 138% of the federal poverty level can generally get Medicaid instead of a Marketplace plan. A state "trigger" law would end the expansion or force cost cuts if federal funding for it is reduced.