Press Releases

Virginia’s Democratic Representatives in the U.S. House, Don Beyer (VA-08), Bobby Scott (VA-03), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Eugene Vindman (VA-07), and James Walkinshaw (VA-11) today urged the Director of Virginia Health Benefit Exchange to extend Virginia’s Open Enrollment period through May 1, 2026. With the expiration of enhanced advance premium tax credits (APTC) that helped lower monthly health plan costs for more than 335,000 Virginians, many residents now face increased costs and difficult choices about whether to start, keep, or change their health insurance coverage. Extending the enrollment period would allow Virginians additional time and flexibility to select plans that best fit their needs as Democrats in Congress fight to extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) APTCs.

They wrote Director of the Virginia Health Benefit Exchange Keven Patchett:

“We write to request an extension of the 2025-2026 Open Enrollment period to enroll in health insurance through Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace. In light of significant cost uncertainties facing Virginians, who will be left with difficult decisions about whether to begin, continue, or change their health insurance, we ask that you extend the period through May 1, 2026. Doing so will give Virginians additional time and flexibility to select plans that best fit their needs.

“For Plan Year 2025, 388,856 Virginians enrolled in plans through the Virginians Insurance Marketplace. Of those, 335,255, more than 86%, received an Advance Premium Tax Credit (APTC) that reduced the cost of their monthly premiums.  However, enhancements to those tax credits will expire at the end of 2025, less than a month before Open Enrollment is scheduled to end. Those enhancements provide significant savings for Virginians, create an exceptional need for more time to make consequential decisions. Last year, the enhanced APTCs reduced monthly premiums in the Commonwealth from $489 to $135, saving the average buyer more than $4,000 annually. Without those savings, net premiums could rise by 30-50% on average.

“We thank you for your consistent attention to this issue. In General Assembly testimony earlier this year, you estimated that 100,000 Virginians could go uninsured when the enhanced tax credits expire. That coverage loss would be devastating for not only the Virginians forced to choose between healthcare and other basic necessities, but also an acute shock to the rest of the Commonwealth’s health insurance ecosystem which will be left with an insurance pool that is smaller and sicker than before.

“We therefore ask that you extend the Open Enrollment period through May 1, 2026, to allow Virginians to see their final incomes and tax bills and make final health insurance decisions with a complete understanding of their financial situations. Given the precedent for Open Enrollment extensions in Virginia, we believe that this is a necessary step to give Virginians more time and information to make exceptionally consequential healthcare decisions.

“We thank you for your response to this request, as well as your ongoing attention to this important issue.”

A signed copy of the letter is available here.