Was this the last year for the Virginia Insurance Marketplace? If so, it was a good year

More than 388,000 Virginians enrolled in healthcare coverage in the Open Enrollment Period for the Virginia Insurance Marketplace.

Just under 70,000 were new enrollees, a 21 percent increase over last year’s new enrollments.

Now we wait and see if Trump/Musk gets beyond having concepts of a plan to replace Obamacare, or just cuts everybody off without anything new to take its place.

Sorry to be Debbie Downer; it’s just, that’s what 49.5 percent of us voted for.

“From the beginning, our goal was to create a marketplace that was easy to use and connected Virginians and their families to health care coverage they can depend on,” said Keven Patchett, director of the Virginia Health Benefit Exchange.

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Learn more

• The Marketplace Help Center can connect Virginians to someone either in person or on the phone. Free translation services are also available.
• The FAQ page answers some of the most common questions about the Marketplace.

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The Virginia Insurance Marketplace launched on Nov. 1, 2023, replacing HealthCare.gov as Virginia’s dedicated platform for health insurance enrollment. The Marketplace offers a variety of resources to help eligible residents find affordable and comprehensive healthcare coverage that meets their needs.

All plans available on the Marketplace provide comprehensive coverage. These plans include free preventive services, coverage for preexisting conditions, and the 10 essential health benefits required by law, such as doctor visits, hospitalization and prescription services.

“We’re proud of the strides we’ve made in increasing access to affordable, comprehensive health coverage. Looking ahead, we’re eager to expand our impact further by reaching even more Virginians and connecting them to additional programs they may be eligible for,” Patchett said.

Good luck on that.

Although the Open Enrollment Period has ended, Virginians who experience a Qualifying Life Event — such as having a baby or losing health insurance — may be eligible to enroll during a Special Enrollment Period.

The next Open Enrollment Period for coverage starting in 2026 will take place from Nov. 1, 2025, to Jan. 15, 2026.

There should be an asterisk somewhere in there.