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Starting next year, Aetna clients in Virginia and other states will no longer be able to purchase individual or family health insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act marketplace.
The ACA is a 15-year-old federal law that allows people who don鈥檛 have employer-provided insurance to purchase their own through the ACA marketplace. Congress also created associated tax credits that have helped some offset those costs even further. Over in Virginia have Aetna healthcare, according to the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services and the soon-to-be extinguished plans cover nearly 5,000 enrollees, as of January of this year.
Aetna is under the CVS umbrella and has participated in the ACA marketplace. Recipients have received emails this summer alerting them of the forthcoming change and the company outlines it as well.
鈥淎s we considered plan options for the future, it became clear we would not be able to provide the same level of value we鈥檝e offered in prior years,鈥� the health insurer鈥檚 website stated.
Both the online statement and a request for comment from CVS Health did not clarify what made it 鈥渃lear鈥� the company felt the need to withdraw, but the shifting federal health care policy landscape could be part of the equation.
Congress has yet to renew ACA tax credits that further help people lower their premium payments and the recently-passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act extend the credits either.
Relatedly, the OBBB includes forthcoming (another provision of ACA that helps insure pregnant people, children, those with disabilities and lower-income earners).
The Republican-led megabill fielded from Democratic and some Republican federal lawmakers but ultimately passed and was signed by President Donald Trump on July 4. Republican dominance in Congress also threatens the renewal of the ACA tax credits that help people purchase insurance in state marketplaces, which Democrats have championed.
An Aetna spokeswoman did not directly respond when asked if Congress鈥� pending renewal or failure to renew ACA tax credits had anything to do with the decision. She did reiterate the same statement from the website that CVS remains 鈥渃ommitted to helping members make the most of their benefits in 2025.鈥�
An email forwarded to The Mercury by a reader with Aetna insurance outlines how clients will need to shop for a new insurer when the 2026 enrollment period opens in the fall.
鈥淵ou will get more information and helpful guidance as open enrollment approaches,鈥� the Aetna letter reads.
Aetna鈥檚 recent communication to clients follows NPR reporting that Aetna would be withdrawing from the ACA marketplace . Since then, as Congress debated the OBBB, lawmakers and hospital professionals around the nation and in Virginia have about what shrinking health care coverage options might mean across all income brackets.
鈥淎s uninsured rates climb, so too will health care costs for everyone,鈥� said U.S. Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond.
Editor鈥檚 note: This story has been updated to include the number of Virginia enrollees covered by the Aetna health insurance plans leaving the ACA marketplace.
