What Hampton Roads Families Need to Know About Rising Marketplace Premiums in 2025

If you’re a family in Hampton Roads, 2025 is shaping up to be a year of higher costs for health insurance on the Marketplace. Families across Chesapeake, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach are already feeling the pinch — premiums are going up while coverage isn’t necessarily improving.

I’m Jason Ruhlman, a local health plan advisor, and I help families across Hampton Roads find private market health insurance that protects their loved ones without overpaying.

Marketplace Premiums Are Rising — Here’s Why

Marketplace plans are adjusting for 2025 due to several factors:

• Higher healthcare costs nationwide

• Rising premiums from insurance companies

• Limited plan improvements despite higher prices

  
  

For families, this means the plan that worked last year may be much more expensive in 2025 — and it may still leave gaps in coverage for the doctors and hospitals your family relies on.

The Hidden Costs for Families

Marketplace premiums aren’t the only expense. Families often face:

• High deductibles and out-of-pocket costs

• Limited network coverage that may exclude your preferred pediatrician or local hospital

• Unexpected prescription costs

• Financial stress from having to choose between premium cost and coverage quality

  
  

For growing families, this can add up to thousands of dollars a year in hidden costs — money that could otherwise go toward savings, education, or everyday living expenses.

Private Market Plans: A Smarter Choice for Hampton Roads Families

Here’s where private market health insurance can help:

• Lower monthly premiums compared to Marketplace options

• Customizable coverage for your family’s specific needs

• Access to local doctors and hospitals in Hampton Roads

• Flexibility to adjust as your family changes

  
  

With access to over 100 insurance companies, I can compare options that are often more affordable and more suitable than what the Marketplace offers.

A Chesapeake Family’s Example

One local family in Chesapeake came to me frustrated with their Marketplace plan. Their premium was rising by nearly $250 per month in 2025, and their children’s pediatrician wasn’t even in-network.

We reviewed private market options and found a plan that:

• Reduced their monthly premium

• Covered their children’s doctors

• Provided strong protection for emergencies

  
  

The result? Affordable coverage without sacrificing the care their family relies on.

Why Local Guidance Matters

The Marketplace doesn’t provide personalized advice — it gives you a list of plans to sort through on your own. That’s why so many families feel overwhelmed and unsure if they’re making the right choice.

As a local advisor in Chesapeake, I help Hampton Roads families navigate:

• Plan comparisons in plain English

• True cost analysis including premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket expenses

• Options beyond the Marketplace to save money while improving coverage

The Bottom Line

Rising Marketplace premiums in 2025 don’t mean you have to overpay for health insurance.

Families in Hampton Roads can find private market plans that save money, protect their children, and give peace of mind — all without the stress of navigating the Marketplace alone.

I’m Jason Ruhlman, and I help families in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and beyond get affordable, reliable coverage through private market options.