Will My Health Plan Auto-Renew for 2027? What to Check First
If you do nothing this Open Enrollment, you'll likely be renewed into your current plan. Here's how auto-renewal works and the five things to check before you let it happen.
If you bought your own health insurance for 2026 and do nothing this fall, you'll most likely be renewed automatically for 2027. That sounds convenient, and sometimes it's fine. But auto-renewal keeps you in a plan that may look very different next year, and in 2027 more people than usual will be surprised by what changed. Here's how auto-renewal works and what to check before you let it happen.
How auto-renewal works
If you have an ACA plan through HealthCare.gov or your state's marketplace and you don't make a change during Open Enrollment, the marketplace generally re-enrolls you in the same plan for the new year. If your plan is being discontinued, you may be placed in a similar plan, sometimes with a different insurer. If you gave permission for the marketplace to check your tax data, your premium tax credit can carry over too, based on the information it has on file.
Private plans bought directly from an insurer usually renew on their own schedule. The insurer sends a renewal notice with the new rate before your plan year ends.
Why letting it renew is riskier for 2027
- Premiums are rising. Insurers in many states asked for double-digit increases for 2027 before subsidies. If you auto-renew, you accept the new price without seeing whether a similar plan costs less.
- Financial help changed. The enhanced federal tax credits expired after 2025. Households earning more than 400% of the federal poverty level generally no longer qualify for any credit, and many others get less than before.
- Insurers are leaving some states. Cigna and several regional insurers are exiting marketplaces at the end of 2026. If your plan is going away, the plan you're moved into may have a different network.
- Networks and drug lists change. Even if your insurer stays, your doctor or prescription may be covered differently next year.
What to check before you let your plan renew
- Read your renewal notice. Look for your 2027 premium, your deductible and out-of-pocket maximum, and whether your plan is being discontinued.
- Update your income. Tax credits are based on your estimated income for the year. An outdated estimate can mean paying too much each month, or paying credit back at tax time.
- Check your doctors and prescriptions. Confirm that your doctors, hospitals, and medications are still in network and covered for 2027.
- Compare at least two or three similar plans. Look at the total yearly cost, not just the monthly premium.
- Consider private plans if you're healthy. If you don't qualify for much financial help, a private plan outside the marketplace may cost less. Private plans ask health questions, so eligibility depends on your answers. If a private plan isn't the right fit, an ACA plan is always an option.
Key dates
Open Enrollment for 2027 runs November 1, 2026, through January 15, 2027, in most states. Choose a plan by December 15 for coverage starting January 1; Virginia's Open Enrollment runs through January 29. See the 2027 Open Enrollment deadlines by state.
When auto-renewal is fine
If your premium, your doctors, and your financial help are about the same as last year, and your income hasn't changed, keeping your plan may be perfectly reasonable. The point isn't to switch for the sake of switching. It's to spend a few minutes confirming you're not paying more than you need to.
Get a free review
I'll look at your renewal notice with you, update your income estimate, check your doctors, and compare your current plan with the other ACA and private options in your ZIP code. My help is free, and your price is the same whether you enroll on your own or with me.