News | California's IVF Coverage Mandate May Be Delayed Until 2026, Leaving Millions of Families Uncertain
California's SB 729, an insurance mandate for in vitro fertilization (IVF) coverage scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2025, may be delayed again. Governor Gavin Newsom has asked the legislature to move the effective date to January 2026, increasing uncertainty for patients, insurers, and employers.
The law requires California-regulated employer health plans to cover infertility diagnosis and treatment, including IVF. About 9 million people would be eligible if implemented as planned. Advocates have called it a major victory for reproductive rights in California, particularly because it includes single people and same-sex couples. Cost concerns mean it does not apply to every type of insurance plan.
The cost of delay: Treatment, emotional, and financial setbacks
"Many patients who planned fertility treatment around the original timeline are now forced to wait, facing greater financial pressure and emotional distress," said Alise Powell, director at Resolve: The National Infertility Association.
One IVF cycle currently costs about $25,000 on average, which many families cannot afford. Once implemented, the California law would require insurers to cover up to three egg retrievals and unlimited embryo transfers.
Even if the law took effect July 1, actual coverage would depend on when employer-insurer contracts renew. Rachel Arrezola, a spokesperson for the California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC), said most applicable plans renew each January, so most employees would not receive coverage until early 2026 anyway.
For the small number of employers and employees whose contracts renew in July, a last-minute suspension could retroactively cancel coverage. DMHC has not yet explained how it would handle this situation.
A second delay as regulations remain unfinished
This is not Newsom's first request for a delay. When he signed the bill in September 2023, he suggested postponing implementation by six months to coordinate it with California's broader essential health benefits regulations.
Newsom spokesperson Elana Ross said several key details still lack clear regulatory guidance, including definitions and standards for embryo freezing and the use of third-party eggs or sperm. More time is needed to ensure consistent, adequate insurer coverage.
Kaiser Permanente, California's largest health insurer, said it had already sent employers policy information for employees but was awaiting a final decision. If the delay is not approved and signed, its customers will receive IVF coverage under the original law starting July 1.
Employers and fertility centers are confused as patients seek care abroad
Employers and clinics face substantial pressure while the law's future remains uncertain. Major fertility providers including Reproductive Science Center and Shady Grove Fertility have stated on their websites that the law was "delayed until January 2026," although this has not been officially confirmed.
Some patients are no longer waiting. Ana Rios and her wife, who live in California's Central Valley, have tried to conceive for six years, exhausting their savings after repeated treatment failures. She was "moved to tears" when the law passed last year but could not obtain clear answers from her employer or insurer. They ultimately chose less expensive treatment in Mexico.
"You think you finally have something to rely on," Rios said, "but when you reach for it, they take it away."
News | California's IVF Coverage Mandate May Be Delayed Until 2026, Leaving Millions of Families Uncertain
News | California's IVF Coverage Mandate May Be Delayed Until 2026, Leaving Millions of Families Uncertain
California's SB 729, an insurance mandate for in vitro fertilization (IVF) coverage scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2025, may be delayed again. Governor Gavin Newsom has asked the legislature to move the effective date to January 2026, increasing uncertainty for patients, insurers, and employers.
The law requires California-regulated employer health plans to cover infertility diagnosis and treatment, including IVF. About 9 million people would be eligible if implemented as planned. Advocates have called it a major victory for reproductive rights in California, particularly because it includes single people and same-sex couples. Cost concerns mean it does not apply to every type of insurance plan.
The cost of delay: Treatment, emotional, and financial setbacks
"Many patients who planned fertility treatment around the original timeline are now forced to wait, facing greater financial pressure and emotional distress," said Alise Powell, director at Resolve: The National Infertility Association.
One IVF cycle currently costs about $25,000 on average, which many families cannot afford. Once implemented, the California law would require insurers to cover up to three egg retrievals and unlimited embryo transfers.
Even if the law took effect July 1, actual coverage would depend on when employer-insurer contracts renew. Rachel Arrezola, a spokesperson for the California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC), said most applicable plans renew each January, so most employees would not receive coverage until early 2026 anyway.
For the small number of employers and employees whose contracts renew in July, a last-minute suspension could retroactively cancel coverage. DMHC has not yet explained how it would handle this situation.
A second delay as regulations remain unfinished
This is not Newsom's first request for a delay. When he signed the bill in September 2023, he suggested postponing implementation by six months to coordinate it with California's broader essential health benefits regulations.
Newsom spokesperson Elana Ross said several key details still lack clear regulatory guidance, including definitions and standards for embryo freezing and the use of third-party eggs or sperm. More time is needed to ensure consistent, adequate insurer coverage.
Kaiser Permanente, California's largest health insurer, said it had already sent employers policy information for employees but was awaiting a final decision. If the delay is not approved and signed, its customers will receive IVF coverage under the original law starting July 1.
Employers and fertility centers are confused as patients seek care abroad
Employers and clinics face substantial pressure while the law's future remains uncertain. Major fertility providers including Reproductive Science Center and Shady Grove Fertility have stated on their websites that the law was "delayed until January 2026," although this has not been officially confirmed.
Some patients are no longer waiting. Ana Rios and her wife, who live in California's Central Valley, have tried to conceive for six years, exhausting their savings after repeated treatment failures. She was "moved to tears" when the law passed last year but could not obtain clear answers from her employer or insurer. They ultimately chose less expensive treatment in Mexico.
"You think you finally have something to rely on," Rios said, "but when you reach for it, they take it away."
Source:
Collected online