Obesity Treatment Parity Act.

Senator Richardson's proposal to expand obesity treatment coverage would require California health plans and insurers to cover intensive behavioral therapy, bariatric surgery, and FDA-approved anti-obesity medications beginning January 1, 2026. The measure applies to individual and group plans that provide outpatient prescription drug benefits, mandating coverage for these treatments without requiring patients to reach a "morbid" obesity classification.

The bill establishes specific parameters for coverage implementation while preserving insurers' ability to conduct medical necessity reviews. Health plans may apply utilization management protocols for obesity treatments, provided these determinations follow the same standards used for other covered conditions. Coverage criteria for FDA-approved anti-obesity medications must align with FDA-approved indications, neither more nor less restrictive. The requirements exclude specialized plans covering only dental or vision benefits and Medicare supplement policies.

Legislative findings accompanying the measure note obesity's classification as a chronic disease by major medical organizations and its links to over 200 comorbid conditions, including 13 types of cancer. The findings cite data showing obesity accounts for 47 percent of chronic disease costs in the United States and disproportionately affects communities of color. Current California regulations require coverage of obesity treatments only for patients diagnosed with "severe obesity," a threshold the bill would eliminate.