People in Virginia have access to 147 Medicare Advantage plans, 16 prescription drug plans, and 12 Medigap plans. Your exact options depend on where you live.
Medicare is a health insurance program designed for individuals ages 65 and older, as well as younger individuals with certain health conditions and disabilities.
It has four components:
- Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance) together form Original Medicare.
- Part C, known as Medicare Advantage, provides an alternative to Original Medicare.
- Part D covers prescription medications.
If you have Original Medicare, you can also enroll in a supplemental insurance plan (Medigap) to help manage additional out-of-pocket expenses.
According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), 1,671,717 people in Virginia are enrolled in Medicare.
The CMS reported the following trends for the 2025 plan year:
- The average Medicare Advantage monthly premium decreased by 65 cents — from $13.56 in 2024 to $12.91 in 2025.
- The number of available Medicare Advantage plans increased by 5 — from 142 in 2024 to 147 in 2025.
- All Medicare beneficiaries have the option to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, including plans with $0 premiums.
- All Original Medicare enrollees have the option to buy a stand-alone prescription drug plan.
- There are 16 stand-alone prescription drug plans available, and the lowest monthly premium is $0.
- About 73% of people with a stand-alone prescription drug plan have the option to enroll in a plan with a lower premium than they paid in 2024.
- About 23% of people with a stand-alone prescription drug plan receive Extra Help.
Each part of Medicare covers specific services, so it’s crucial to understand the details of each component.
Original Medicare
Original Medicare is a federal program made up of Part A and Part B, available to anyone eligible for Medicare.
Most people qualify for premium-free Part A. In 2025, the standard monthly premium for Part B is estimated to be $185, but your premium may be higher based on your income.
Medicare Advantage
Medicare Advantage plans are offered by private insurers that partner with Medicare to combine Part A and Part B coverage with additional health and wellness benefits.
Many of these plans also include prescription drug coverage, along with certain vision, dental, and hearing benefits.
Some of the companies that offer Medicare Advantage plans in Virginia include:
- Aetna Medicare
- Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
- Anthem HealthKeepers
- Humana
- Sentara Medicare
- UnitedHealthcare
Service areas can vary by plan, and each plan determines its own cost and coverage options.
Stand-alone prescription drug plans
Private insurance companies work with Medicare to provide prescription drug coverage, and you must be enrolled in Part A or Part B to be eligible.
People in Virginia can choose from 16 different prescription drug plans offered by some of the following companies:
- Aetna Medicare
- Anthem / Anthem or Blue KC in Missouri
- Cigna Healthcare
- Humana
- UnitedHealthcare
- Wellcare
Service areas can vary by plan, and each plan determines its own costs and coverage options.
Medigap
Private insurers partner with Medicare to offer supplemental coverage for Original Medicare beneficiaries.
Medigap plans are not health insurance; they are designed to help cover out-of-pocket expenses, such as deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance.
People in Virginia can choose from 12 different Medigap plans:
Some of the companies that offer Medigap plans in Virginia include:
- Ace Property and Casualty Insurance Company
- AFLAC
- Allstate Health Solutions
- American Benefit Life Insurance Company
- American Financial Security Life Insurance Company
- American Home Life Insurance Company
- Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield – Virginia
- Bankers Fidelity Assurance Company
- Cigna Health & Life Insurance Company
- Continental Life Insurance Company of Brentwood, Tennessee (Aetna)
- Erie Family Life Insurance Company
- Everence Association Inc.
- Federal Life Insurance Company
- Globe Life and Accident Insurance Company
- GPM Health and Life Insurance Company
- Guarantee Trust Life Insurance Company
- Humana (Humana Health Insurance Company of Florida, Inc.)
- LifeShield National Insurance Company
- Manhattan Life Assurance Company
- Medico Corp Insurance Company
- MedMutual Protect
- Mutual of Omaha (Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company)
- Physicians Life Insurance Company (Issue Age)
- State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
- Transamerica Life Insurance Company
- United American Insurance Company
- UnitedHealthcare/AARP
- USAA Life Insurance Company
- Washington National Insurance Company
- Wellcare (Centene)
- Woodmen Of The World Life Insurance Society
Service areas can vary by plan, and each plan determines its own cost and coverage options.
You’re eligible for Medicare if you:
- are age 65 or over
- are a U.S. citizen or legal resident for at least 5 years
If you’re under age 65, you may be eligible for Medicare if you:
- have received Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) benefits for at least 24 months
- have end stage renal disease (ESRD) or have had a kidney transplant
- have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease
When can you enroll in Medicare in Virginia?
You can only enroll in Medicare or change your coverage during certain times of the year, including:
- Initial Enrollment Period (IEP): This lasts for seven months — three months before your 65th birthday, during your birth month, and three months after your 65th birthday.
- Open Enrollment Period (OEP): From October 15 to December 7, you can enroll, switch, or drop coverage.
- Medicare Advantage OEP: If you’re already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can make changes from January 1 to March 31.
- Medigap OEP: You have six months after turning 65 to enroll in Medigap.
Certain life events can trigger a special enrollment period. This allows you to sign up for Medicare outside of standard enrollment.
Tips for enrolling in Medicare in Virginia
To help you narrow down your options, consider the following:
- Provider network: If you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, you may need to use in-network providers. Confirm that your healthcare team is included in the network.
- Prescription drugs: Compare your current medication list with the coverage offered by stand-alone prescription drug and Medicare Advantage plans in your area. Ensure your medications are covered and reasonably priced.
- Travel coverage: Some Medicare Advantage plans offer coverage outside the plan’s main service area. If you travel a lot, it may be beneficial to choose a plan that offers this coverage.
- Plan performance: The CMS publishes annual ratings ranging from one to five stars, with five being the best rating.
Medicare has a helpline with staff available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (excluding some federal holidays) to answer your questions. You can call Medicare at 1-800-633-4227 (TTY: 1-877-486-2048).
For personalized health insurance counseling, contact Virginia’sState Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)at 1-800-552-3402.
More than 1.6 million Virginia residents are enrolled in Medicare.
Dozens of private insurance companies offer Medicare Advantage, Medigap, and stand-alone prescription drug coverage throughout the state.
Overall, monthly premium costs have remained stable for Medicare Advantage plans in Virginia.