Understanding California’s IVF Insurance Law
Starting January 1, 2026, California is making big changes to how fertility treatments like IVF are covered by health insurance.
Updated: July 1, 2025
What Is California’s IVF Insurance Law?
California’s new law, SB 729, requires certain insurance plans to cover the diagnosis and treatment of infertility, including IVF.
Who Does This Apply To?
The mandate applies to fully insured health plans that are:
- Issued, renewed, or amended on or after January 1, 2026
- Regulated by California law (not all employer plans are!)
Self-insured plans, Small group plans, and Individual plans are not required to follow this law. Plans offered on the California Exchange (aka Obamacare), Medicaid, and Medicare are also not required to follow this law.
If you’re not sure what kind of plan your employer offers, simply ask your human resources office or the person at your company that oversees your employer’s health insurance benefits:
“Hi, I wanted to check, do we have a fully insured or self-insured health plan? And is our health insurance plan regulated by California law?”
You do not need to mention the law or “SB 729”, only ask if you are fully insured or not.
Use this decision tree to find out whether your health insurance plan is required to cover IVF under California’s new insurance mandate. This visual guide walks you through key questions to help you better understand your coverage.
When Does This Kick In?
The law was drafted to take effect on July 1, 2025, however, Governor Newsom asked the legislature for a six-month delay on implementation of the law. On June 30, 2025, the six-month delay was enacted as part of the state's budget, at the request of the Governor, and will now be implemented. The law now goes into effect on January 1, 2026. This mandate only takes effect when your employer’s health insurance plan is renewed or newly issued on or after January 1, 2026. You can ask your human resources department when your health insurance plan renews if you don’t know; many renew on a calendar year – January 1 – but many do not.
For more information and helpful resources about family building benefits, please reach out to coverageatwork@resolve.org.