veeto
Home
Bills
Influence
Feedback
hamburger
    Privacy PolicyResources
    © 2025 Veeto.
    AB-224
    Health & Public Health

    Health care coverage: essential health benefits.

    Engrossed
    CA
    ∙
    2025-2026 Regular Session
    0
    0
    Track
    Track

    Key Takeaways

    • Establishes a new health insurance benchmark plan in 2027 with expanded essential health benefits coverage.
    • Requires health insurers to cover comprehensive fertility services including artificial insemination and surrogacy.
    • Mandates coverage for medical equipment like wheelchairs, oxygen tanks, and communication devices.
    • Adds coverage for annual hearing exams and hearing aids every three years.

    Summary

    Assembly Member Bonta's proposal to revise California's essential health benefits benchmark plan would expand coverage requirements for individual and small group health insurance policies starting in 2027, pending federal approval. The legislation outlines new mandatory benefits including fertility treatments, specialized medical equipment, and hearing services.

    The fertility coverage provisions encompass artificial insemination, gamete retrieval, embryo creation and storage, and surrogacy-related services. For durable medical equipment, the bill requires coverage of mobility devices, communication aids, respiratory equipment, and hospital beds. Hearing benefits would include annual exams and hearing aid coverage every three years.

    These changes would modify the current benchmark plan, which is based on the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Small Group HMO 30 plan from 2014. The Department of Insurance would issue implementation guidance by January 2027, in consultation with the Department of Managed Health Care. The expanded requirements would apply to all non-grandfathered individual and small group policies, whether offered through Covered California or the private market, while maintaining existing protections for state costs and federal compliance.

    Key Dates

    Next Step
    Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
    Next Step
    Senate Committee
    Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
    Hearing scheduled for , 1021 O Street, Room 2200
    Senate Health Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Health Hearing
    Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    Assembly Floor
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    AB 224 Bonta Assembly Third Reading
    Assembly Appropriations Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Appropriations Hearing
    Do pass
    Assembly Health Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Health Hearing
    Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
    Introduced
    Assembly Floor
    Introduced
    Read first time. To print.

    Contacts

    Profile
    Anna CaballeroD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Tim GraysonD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Megan DahleR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Kelly SeyartoR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Mia BontaD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    0 of 9 row(s) selected.
    Page 1 of 2
    Select All Legislators
    Profile
    Anna CaballeroD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Tim GraysonD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Megan DahleR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Kelly SeyartoR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Mia BontaD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Caroline MenjivarD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Aisha WahabD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Christopher CabaldonD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Laura RichardsonD
    Senator
    Committee Member

    Similar Past Legislation

    Bill NumberTitleIntroduced DateStatusLink to Bill
    SB-62
    Health care coverage: essential health benefits.
    January 2025
    Engrossed
    View Bill
    AB-2914
    Health care coverage: essential health benefits.
    February 2024
    Failed
    View Bill
    SB-1290
    Health care coverage: essential health benefits.
    February 2024
    Failed
    View Bill
    Showing 3 of 3 items
    Page 1 of 1

    Get Involved

    Act Now!

    Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

    Introduced By

    Mia Bonta
    Mia BontaD
    California State Assembly Member
    Co-Author
    Caroline Menjivar
    Caroline MenjivarD
    California State Senator
    40% progression
    Bill has passed all readings in its first house and is ready to move to the other house (5/29/2025)

    Latest Voting History

    View History
    July 16, 2025
    PASS
    Senate Committee
    Senate Health Hearing
    AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
    100111PASS

    Key Takeaways

    • Establishes a new health insurance benchmark plan in 2027 with expanded essential health benefits coverage.
    • Requires health insurers to cover comprehensive fertility services including artificial insemination and surrogacy.
    • Mandates coverage for medical equipment like wheelchairs, oxygen tanks, and communication devices.
    • Adds coverage for annual hearing exams and hearing aids every three years.

    Get Involved

    Act Now!

    Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

    Introduced By

    Mia Bonta
    Mia BontaD
    California State Assembly Member
    Co-Author
    Caroline Menjivar
    Caroline MenjivarD
    California State Senator

    Summary

    Assembly Member Bonta's proposal to revise California's essential health benefits benchmark plan would expand coverage requirements for individual and small group health insurance policies starting in 2027, pending federal approval. The legislation outlines new mandatory benefits including fertility treatments, specialized medical equipment, and hearing services.

    The fertility coverage provisions encompass artificial insemination, gamete retrieval, embryo creation and storage, and surrogacy-related services. For durable medical equipment, the bill requires coverage of mobility devices, communication aids, respiratory equipment, and hospital beds. Hearing benefits would include annual exams and hearing aid coverage every three years.

    These changes would modify the current benchmark plan, which is based on the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Small Group HMO 30 plan from 2014. The Department of Insurance would issue implementation guidance by January 2027, in consultation with the Department of Managed Health Care. The expanded requirements would apply to all non-grandfathered individual and small group policies, whether offered through Covered California or the private market, while maintaining existing protections for state costs and federal compliance.

    40% progression
    Bill has passed all readings in its first house and is ready to move to the other house (5/29/2025)

    Key Dates

    Next Step
    Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
    Next Step
    Senate Committee
    Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
    Hearing scheduled for , 1021 O Street, Room 2200
    Senate Health Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Health Hearing
    Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    Assembly Floor
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    AB 224 Bonta Assembly Third Reading
    Assembly Appropriations Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Appropriations Hearing
    Do pass
    Assembly Health Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Health Hearing
    Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
    Introduced
    Assembly Floor
    Introduced
    Read first time. To print.

    Latest Voting History

    View History
    July 16, 2025
    PASS
    Senate Committee
    Senate Health Hearing
    AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
    100111PASS

    Contacts

    Profile
    Anna CaballeroD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Tim GraysonD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Megan DahleR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Kelly SeyartoR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Mia BontaD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    0 of 9 row(s) selected.
    Page 1 of 2
    Select All Legislators
    Profile
    Anna CaballeroD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Tim GraysonD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Megan DahleR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Kelly SeyartoR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Mia BontaD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Caroline MenjivarD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Aisha WahabD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Christopher CabaldonD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Laura RichardsonD
    Senator
    Committee Member

    Similar Past Legislation

    Bill NumberTitleIntroduced DateStatusLink to Bill
    SB-62
    Health care coverage: essential health benefits.
    January 2025
    Engrossed
    View Bill
    AB-2914
    Health care coverage: essential health benefits.
    February 2024
    Failed
    View Bill
    SB-1290
    Health care coverage: essential health benefits.
    February 2024
    Failed
    View Bill
    Showing 3 of 3 items
    Page 1 of 1