Private Health Plans for the Self-Employed in Virginia

I am an independent, licensed health insurance broker, and I am licensed in Virginia. If you are self-employed, a 1099 contractor, or a freelancer, this page covers the options that sit outside the Marketplace — what is actually available in Virginia, what the trade-offs are, and when a private plan is the wrong answer. There is no fee for my help. The insurance company pays the broker, not you.

Virginia law allows short-term plans to run up to 36 months including renewals.

Virginia at a glance for the self-employed

Virginia runs its own exchange. Since fall 2023, Virginians shop on Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace, not HealthCare.gov. Eight carriers sold plans for 2026, including Anthem HealthKeepers, CareFirst, Kaiser Permanente, Oscar, Sentara and Cigna. Aetna left at the end of 2025.

• New state help for 2027. Virginia is putting about $150 million into state-funded subsidies for 2027, aimed at people between 138% and 250% of the poverty level. It does not help if you are over the 400% line.
• Reinsurance keeps prices lower. Virginia's reinsurance program has helped hold down premiums since 2023, but 2026 rates still rose about 22% on average.
• Medicaid expanded. Adults up to 138% of the poverty level can qualify, which matters in a slow year.
• Easy enrollment at tax time. Virginia lets you ask for a coverage check on your state tax return.

The 400% line matters more here than most people expect. For 2027 the credit stops above $63,840 for one person and $132,000 for a family of four, and there is no phase-out. See the full 2027 income limits.

Your private options in Virginia

• Short-term plans. Virginia allows short-term coverage for up to 36 months including renewals. That length makes them tempting, but they usually exclude pre-existing conditions and often leave out prescriptions and maternity, so read the benefit summary line by line.
• New state subsidies for 2027. Virginia's roughly $150 million program helps people between 138% and 250% of the poverty level, not those over the 400% line.
• Medically underwritten private plans. Health questions up front, often lower premiums for healthy applicants, broad PPO networks, and applications accepted any month.
• Supplemental coverage. Accident, critical-illness and hospital plans can soften a high deductible. How it works.

When private is the right call in Virginia, and when it is not

With eight carriers on Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace for 2027 and a 22% average jump for 2026, a healthy Virginia freelancer or business owner over the subsidy line often saves real money with a private plan.

Stay with Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace if you have an ongoing condition, are pregnant or planning to be, take expensive prescriptions, or qualify for a meaningful tax credit, including Virginia's own state help. If that is you, I will say so.

The tax piece

Most self-employed people can deduct their health insurance premiums, which also lowers the income that counts toward a subsidy. How it works for 1099 workers.

Virginia questions I hear a lot

Do Virginians use HealthCare.gov?

No. Since fall 2023 Virginia runs its own exchange, Virginia's Insurance Marketplace.

What are Virginia's new state subsidies for 2027?

Virginia is adding about $150 million in state-funded help for 2027, for people between 138% and 250% of the poverty level.

Did Virginia expand Medicaid?

Yes. Adults with income up to 138% of the poverty level can qualify.

What if I earn more than 400% of the poverty level in Virginia?

Neither federal nor state subsidies apply, so you pay full price. For healthy applicants a private medically underwritten plan is often cheaper. I compare both at no cost.

Posey Health Solutions · National Producer Number 20609967 · licensed in Virginia and 30 other states. This page is general information, not advice about a specific plan, and it is not tax advice. Plan availability, carrier participation, and duration limits vary by county, carrier, and plan year, and the rules can change.