SB-62
Health & Public Health

Health care coverage: essential health benefits.

Engrossed
CA
2025-2026 Regular Session
0
0
Track

Key Takeaways

  • Expands health insurance coverage to include fertility treatments and medical equipment starting January 2027.
  • Requires health plans to cover comprehensive fertility services including artificial insemination and surrogacy.
  • Mandates coverage of mobility devices, communication aids, and other durable medical equipment.
  • Provides coverage for annual hearing exams and hearing aids every three years.

Summary

Senator Menjivar's proposal to revise California's essential health benefits benchmark plan would expand required health insurance coverage starting in 2027, pending federal approval. The legislation modifies the existing Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Small Group HMO 30 benchmark by adding comprehensive fertility services, including artificial insemination, gamete retrieval, embryo creation, cryopreservation, and surrogacy-related care.

The bill mandates coverage for specific durable medical equipment, including mobility devices, communication aids, respiratory support equipment, and hospital beds. It also requires health plans to cover annual hearing exams and hearing aids every three years. These additions would apply to individual and small group health care service plans, with exemptions for specialized plans, Medicare supplements, and grandfathered coverage.

The Department of Managed Health Care would oversee implementation through guidance and regulations developed in consultation with the Department of Insurance. The legislation maintains existing prohibitions on benefit substitutions and treatment limitations while preserving the relationship between state requirements and federal health care law.

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Appropriations
Next Step
Assembly Committee
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Appropriations
Hearing has not been scheduled yet
Assembly Health Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Health Hearing
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Vote on Senate Floor
Senate Floor
Vote on Senate Floor
Senate 3rd Reading SB62 Menjivar
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Do pass
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Placed on suspense file
Senate Health Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Health Hearing
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Introduced
Senate Floor
Introduced
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Contacts

Profile
Joaquin ArambulaD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Buffy WicksD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Lisa CalderonD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Mia BontaD
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Mike FongD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 17 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 4
Select All Legislators
Profile
Joaquin ArambulaD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Buffy WicksD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Lisa CalderonD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Mia BontaD
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Mike FongD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Diane DixonR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Gregg HartD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Blanca PachecoD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Gail PellerinD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Kate SanchezR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Tri TaR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Caroline MenjivarD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Jessica CalozaD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Mark GonzalezD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Heather HadwickR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Jose SolacheD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Sade ElhawaryD
Assemblymember
Committee Member

Similar Past Legislation

Bill NumberTitleIntroduced DateStatusLink to Bill
AB-224
Health care coverage: essential health benefits.
January 2025
Engrossed
AB-2914
Health care coverage: essential health benefits.
February 2024
Failed
SB-1290
Health care coverage: essential health benefits.
February 2024
Failed
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

Caroline Menjivar
Caroline MenjivarD
California State Senator
Co-Author
Mia Bonta
Mia BontaD
California State Assembly Member
40% progression
Bill has passed all readings in its first house and is ready to move to the other house (5/27/2025)

Latest Voting History

July 15, 2025
PASS
Assembly Committee
Assembly Health Hearing
AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
160016PASS

Key Takeaways

  • Expands health insurance coverage to include fertility treatments and medical equipment starting January 2027.
  • Requires health plans to cover comprehensive fertility services including artificial insemination and surrogacy.
  • Mandates coverage of mobility devices, communication aids, and other durable medical equipment.
  • Provides 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

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

Summary

Senator Menjivar's proposal to revise California's essential health benefits benchmark plan would expand required health insurance coverage starting in 2027, pending federal approval. The legislation modifies the existing Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Small Group HMO 30 benchmark by adding comprehensive fertility services, including artificial insemination, gamete retrieval, embryo creation, cryopreservation, and surrogacy-related care.

The bill mandates coverage for specific durable medical equipment, including mobility devices, communication aids, respiratory support equipment, and hospital beds. It also requires health plans to cover annual hearing exams and hearing aids every three years. These additions would apply to individual and small group health care service plans, with exemptions for specialized plans, Medicare supplements, and grandfathered coverage.

The Department of Managed Health Care would oversee implementation through guidance and regulations developed in consultation with the Department of Insurance. The legislation maintains existing prohibitions on benefit substitutions and treatment limitations while preserving the relationship between state requirements and federal health care law.

40% progression
Bill has passed all readings in its first house and is ready to move to the other house (5/27/2025)

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Appropriations
Next Step
Assembly Committee
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Appropriations
Hearing has not been scheduled yet
Assembly Health Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Health Hearing
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Vote on Senate Floor
Senate Floor
Vote on Senate Floor
Senate 3rd Reading SB62 Menjivar
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Do pass
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Placed on suspense file
Senate Health Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Health Hearing
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Introduced
Senate Floor
Introduced
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Latest Voting History

July 15, 2025
PASS
Assembly Committee
Assembly Health Hearing
AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
160016PASS

Contacts

Profile
Joaquin ArambulaD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Buffy WicksD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Lisa CalderonD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Mia BontaD
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Mike FongD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 17 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 4
Select All Legislators
Profile
Joaquin ArambulaD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Buffy WicksD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Lisa CalderonD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Mia BontaD
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Mike FongD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Diane DixonR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Gregg HartD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Blanca PachecoD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Gail PellerinD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Kate SanchezR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Tri TaR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Caroline MenjivarD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Jessica CalozaD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Mark GonzalezD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Heather HadwickR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Jose SolacheD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Sade ElhawaryD
Assemblymember
Committee Member

Similar Past Legislation

Bill NumberTitleIntroduced DateStatusLink to Bill
AB-224
Health care coverage: essential health benefits.
January 2025
Engrossed
AB-2914
Health care coverage: essential health benefits.
February 2024
Failed
SB-1290
Health care coverage: essential health benefits.
February 2024
Failed
Showing 3 of 3 items
Page 1 of 1