The 2025 General Assembly Session is underway!
The 2025 Session is a short one – with lots going on! VHCF is tracking items that would impact Virginians who are uninsured, Medicaid eligible/enrolled, or underserved. Here are some of our favorite Session tools to help you follow along. We’ve compiled a list of useful links and resources to help you identify and track the legislation in which you are interested. Some also include specifics to help you advocate for key issues, your organization and communities.
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Click here for a list of upcoming 2025 General Assembly Session important dates! And click here for the daily Session calendar, which includes key meeting details (agendas, links to stream meetings and meeting recordings).
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Governor Youngkin unveiled his proposed budget on December 18. Read the full proposed budget bill and the Commonwealth Institute’s summary of it here.
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Use the Legislative Information System (LIS), streamlined and with new functionality for 2025, to search for and track the status of bills, budget amendments, and resolutions. Visit the LIS Learning Center to get acquainted with the new system.
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If you want to track a specific bill as it goes through the GA process and receive emails at key milestones, consider signing up for the free Lobbyist-in-a-Box.
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Curious about the state budget process? The Commonwealth Institute has put together a helpful summary and graphic. This slide deck from the Senate Finance Committee provides more details.
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Headed to Richmond to advocate? Download Virginia Public Access Project’s (VPAP) app, updated for 2025, to find legislator’s offices in the new GA building with ease and more.
Announcing New VHCF Health Access Grants
The Virginia Health Care Foundation (VHCF) has awarded more than $824,000 in grants to 11 organizations throughout the state to increase access to behavioral health, medical and dental services for uninsured and medically underserved Virginians. See the full list of grantees and initiatives awarded here!
Health coverage options for 2025
While Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace Open Enrollment Period has ended for 2025, there are lots of life circumstances and events that allow people to enroll in Marketplace coverage outside of Open Enrollment, such as a marriage or divorce, loss of other health coverage, or a move. A full list of these “Special Enrollment Periods,” which typically last for 60 days after the change in circumstances or life event, can be found here. Extra financial help is still available for 2025, meaning many people qualify for free or very low-cost coverage through the Marketplace.
There is also an extra-Special Enrollment Period still in effect for Virginians who lose their Medicaid/FAMIS coverage due to no longer being eligible (e.g., their income increased above the Medicaid/FAMIS limits). They can shop on the Marketplace anytime through June 30, 2025. Starting July 1, 2025, Virginians losing Medicaid/FAMIS coverage can qualify for coverage on the Marketplace for up to 90 days after their coverage loss.
And don’t forget: Virginians can apply for/enroll in Medicaid/FAMIS 365 days a year! They are not required to enroll within a specific time window.
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