All Roll Calls
Yes: 220 • No: 1
CaliforniaAB 2242025-2026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET
Health care coverage: essential health benefits.
Sponsored By: Mia Bonta (Democratic)
Signed by Governor
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
More fertility, hearing, and equipment in 2027
Beginning Jan 1, 2027, if federal HHS approves California’s new benchmark, plans must add key benefits. Infertility care includes three gamete‑retrieval attempts, three embryo‑creation attempts, three rounds of pretransfer testing, cryopreservation and storage, unlimited embryo transfers, two vials of donor sperm, 10 donor eggs, surrogacy services, and surrogate health testing. Hearing coverage includes an annual hearing exam and one hearing aid per ear every three years. Durable medical equipment includes walkers, manual and power wheelchairs, scooters, speech‑generating devices, communication boards/apps, CPAP machines, portable oxygen, and hospital beds.
Equal coverage and no tighter treatment caps
Plans must cover habilitative services under the same terms as rehabilitative services. Plans cannot combine the limits for habilitative and rehabilitative care. Insurers also cannot set treatment limits that are stricter than the benchmark plan’s limits.
Essential benefits for individual and small-group plans
Beginning Jan 1, 2017, individual and small‑group health plans in California must cover essential health benefits under the Affordable Care Act and this law. The rule applies to plans sold on Covered California and plans sold off the Exchange. Regulators enforce these standards across the market.
Stronger pediatric dental and vision benefits
Beginning Jan 1, 2027, if HHS approves the new benchmark, plans must match key pediatric benefits. Pediatric vision must mirror the Federal Employees vision plan with the largest national enrollment as of early 2014. Pediatric dental must match Medi‑Cal’s 2014 child dental benefits, including medically necessary orthodontic care under federal CHIPRA.
Stronger enforcement of essential benefits rules
Insurers, agents, and producers cannot market any product as meeting essential health benefits unless it truly meets all requirements. The Insurance Commissioner may issue guidance by Jan 1, 2027 without using the normal rulemaking process and can adopt regulations after consulting the Department of Managed Health Care. Regulators enforce these protections under state law.
Some plans and newer mandates excluded
Excepted‑benefit policies and grandfathered health plans are not subject to these essential health benefit rules. Also, plans are not required under this section to add benefit changes from laws passed on or after Dec 31, 2011. People in these plans may not get the newer required benefits.
Insurers may change drug lists
Insurers may use a different prescription drug list than the benchmark if federal law allows it and the state would not have to pay. Drug coverage must still meet state standards. This can help or hurt you depending on which drugs the plan covers.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Mia Bonta
Democratic • House
Cosponsors
Caroline Menjivar
Democratic • Senate
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 9/8/2025
Item 5 — Assembly AFLOOR
Yes: 71 • No: 0
Senate vote • 9/3/2025
Item 235 — Senate SFLOOR
Yes: 40 • No: 0
legislature vote • 8/29/2025
Vote in CS61
Yes: 7 • No: 0
legislature vote • 8/18/2025
Vote in CS61
Yes: 7 • No: 0
legislature vote • 7/16/2025
Vote in CS60
Yes: 10 • No: 0
House vote • 5/29/2025
Item 73 — Assembly AFLOOR
Yes: 60 • No: 1
legislature vote • 5/23/2025
Vote in CX25
Yes: 11 • No: 0
legislature vote • 4/29/2025
Vote in CX08
Yes: 14 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 680, Statutes of 2025.
10/13/2025SenateApproved by the Governor.
10/13/2025legislatureEnrolled and presented to the Governor at 4:30 p.m.
9/15/2025legislatureSenate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 71. Noes 0. Page 3013.).
9/8/2025HouseIn Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
9/3/2025HouseRead third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2464.).
9/3/2025SenateRead second time. Ordered to third reading.
8/29/2025SenateFrom committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29).
8/29/2025SenateIn committee: Referred to suspense file.
8/18/2025SenateFrom committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (July 16). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
7/17/2025SenateFrom committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
7/8/2025SenateReferred to Com. on HEALTH.
6/11/2025SenateIn Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
5/29/2025SenateRead third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 60. Noes 1. Page 1782.)
5/29/2025HouseRead second time. Ordered to third reading.
5/27/2025HouseFrom committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 23).
5/23/2025HouseIn committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
5/14/2025HouseFrom committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
4/30/2025HouseRe-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
4/24/2025HouseFrom committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. Read second time and amended.
4/23/2025HouseReferred to Com. on HEALTH.
2/3/2025HouseFrom printer. May be heard in committee February 9.
1/10/2025HouseRead first time. To print.
1/9/2025House
Bill Text
Chaptered
10/13/2025
Enrolled
9/10/2025
Amended Senate
7/8/2025
Amended Assembly
4/23/2025
Introduced
1/9/2025