The renewal guide · Part 5 of 6
If you do nothing, here's exactly what happens.
Most people never hear this part, and not knowing it is half the stress. So, plainly:
You keep coverage, automatically
Do nothing, and on January 1 you're renewed into your current plan, or its designated successor if it was retired. No paperwork, no gap.
Doing nothing never means losing coverage. It means deciding by default.
…at a recalculated price you haven't seen
The 2026 rate and your recalculated discount take effect whether you looked or not. Some people quietly pay hundreds more per year than a plan sitting on the same shelf would have cost. Some are fine. The point of a ten-minute look is knowing which one you are.
…with last year's income estimate
Auto-renewal carries your old income estimate forward. If your real income has moved, your discount is now sized wrong, and the difference gets squared up on your tax return. A fresh estimate now keeps April boring.
…and maybe on a plan you didn't pick
If your plan was discontinued, the automatic successor is the closest match by design, not necessarily the best value in your county this year. That's exactly the situation where ten minutes of looking pays best.
The honest summary: auto-renewal is a safety net, not a strategy. Take the ten-minute look. If renewing is right, you'll renew with a clear conscience.