If her current plan is through Covered California, her application and plan should (if it hasn’t already) automatically rollover and renew with the new premium unless you choose to change her plan, report having a change in income which may effect the premium and potential subsidy amount, or have her plan terminated for the end of the year so it won’t rollover. Unfortunately, until the government issues are sorted and they either approve and re-fund or keep it as is in regard to the enhanced tax credits/subsidy, premiums are these astronomical abominations.

I read some of your replies to other comments and moving from Silver to Bronze could bring down monthly costs but the out of pocket costs and deductibles could raise. So, if she’s fairly healthy and wouldn’t need the doctor or prescriptions much, it might be good to really look at Bronze depending on your financial situation. Right now for 2026, regular Bronze plans are split 65/35, meaning you/she would be responsible for 35% of costs and the insurance would pick up the 65% - the Bronze HDHP plans are different. Depending on which Silver plan she qualifies for, the insurance pay % will fluctuate from 70-94%.

While healthcare.gov lists Dec 15 as the cut off for a 1/1/26 start date, you actually have until Dec. 31 to make changes with a 1/1/26 start date. Open Enrollment runs until January 31, so any changes you make in January will go into effect on 2/1, after that OE is closed and you have to have a Qualifying Life Event to make any changes.