Medicare 2026

Medicare in Virginia for 2027: 16 Advantage Plans Leaving, 21 New, and What Else Changes

RICHMOND — People with Medicare in Virginia will see a slightly larger Medicare Advantage lineup for 2027, a few headline changes to Part D, and a Social Security cost-of-living bump that lands in January. The shopping window is Annual Enrollment 2027, which runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, with any new choice taking effect January 1, 2027.

Medicare 2026Virginia

Here is what Virginia residents can expect, and what to double-check before the December 7, 2026 deadline.

What is changing with Medicare Advantage plans in Virginia for 2027?

Virginia will have 148 Medicare Advantage plans offered statewide in 2027, compared with 143 in 2026. Across the state's 133 counties, 16 plans are not returning anywhere in Virginia, 21 are new, and 52 are changing — meaning a different premium, drug deductible, plan type, or plan name from 2026 to 2027.

Because Medicare Advantage is sold county by county, these statewide totals do not describe any one neighborhood's menu. The plans actually available to you depend on your ZIP code. If your current plan is one of the 52 that is changing, your insurer will send an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) in the fall of 2026 explaining the 2027 version of the plan. If your plan is one of the 16 leaving, you will get a non-renewal letter, and Medicare grants a Special Enrollment Period that runs through the end of February 2027 to pick another Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D plan.

Either way, the simplest move is to read the mail that arrives in September and October 2026 and then confirm the details on medicare.gov.

Which Virginia counties are seeing the most Medicare Advantage change for 2027?

Five Virginia counties stand out for the volume of plan changes between 2026 and 2027:

• Goochland County: 15 plans leaving, 24 changing.
• Richmond City: 8 plans leaving, 28 changing.
• Henrico County: 8 plans leaving, 27 changing.
• Chesterfield County: 9 plans leaving, 25 changing.
• Hanover County: 13 plans leaving, 21 changing.

If you live in one of those counties, there is a higher-than-average chance the plan you have today looks different on January 1, 2027 — or is gone from your area entirely. That doesn't mean anything is wrong with your coverage; it just means the ANOC and non-renewal letters deserve a careful read, and the Plan Finder is the place to see what is actually offered at your address for the new plan year.

How many stand-alone Part D drug plans will Virginia have in 2027?

Virginia will have 9 stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plans available in 2027, the same count as in 2026, offered by 5 insurers. Stand-alone Part D is primarily for people who keep Original Medicare (Parts A and B), often paired with a Medigap policy, and want prescription drug coverage.

Two national Part D rules change in 2027: the annual out-of-pocket cap on covered drugs falls to $2,400 (down from $2,100 in 2026), and no Part D plan may set a drug deductible above $700. Specific premiums, formularies and pharmacy networks vary by plan and are listed on medicare.gov.

What about Medigap (Medicare Supplement) in Virginia for 2027?

A Virginia ZIP code typically pulls up 22 Medigap insurers on medicare.gov. Medigap policies work with Original Medicare and are standardized by letter (Plan G, Plan N and so on), so the benefits inside a given letter plan are the same from company to company — the differences are price, customer service and the insurer's rate history.

Medigap enrollment rules are different from Medicare Advantage. The strongest federal protections apply during your one-time six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period when you first have Part B, and in certain guaranteed-issue situations. Outside those windows, medical underwriting may apply. The Medigap plan finder on medicare.gov lists the insurers available for your ZIP.

What are the national Medicare numbers for 2027, and what did Social Security announce?

For 2027, three national Medicare figures are confirmed: the Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,400, the maximum Part D deductible any plan may charge is $700, and the Part D base beneficiary premium — a national number used to calculate the late-enrollment penalty — is $41.33. Individual plan premiums are still set plan by plan.

The Social Security Administration announced on October 14, 2026 a 3.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for benefits payable beginning January 2027.

The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income-related surcharge brackets, have not yet been announced. CMS typically releases those figures in the fall, usually November. Watch medicare.gov for the official numbers rather than relying on estimates.

What should Virginia Medicare members do before December 7, 2026?

A short checklist for Annual Enrollment 2027:

• Read your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) when it arrives in September or October 2026 and flag anything different for 2027.
• If you got a non-renewal letter, mark that your plan is one of the 16 leaving Virginia and plan to pick a replacement; a Special Enrollment Period runs through February 2027.
• Make a current list of your prescriptions, pharmacies and doctors, and run them through the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov for your ZIP.
• Submit any change by December 7, 2026 for a January 1, 2027 start date.

Where can Virginians get free Medicare help?

Free, unbiased help is available at medicare.gov and by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Plan Finder on medicare.gov is the only tool that shows the exact Medicare Advantage, Part D and Medigap options at your Virginia address, with each plan's own premium, deductible, drug list and pharmacy network for 2027.