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AB-224 • 2026

Health care coverage: essential health benefits.

Health care coverage: essential health benefits.

Healthcare
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Bonta
Last action
Official status
Chaptered
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Reviewing Health Care Benefits for 2027

This law states that lawmakers want to review California's health insurance benefit list and set a new plan starting in 2027 if the federal government approves it.

What This Bill Does

  • States that lawmakers intend to review the current benchmark plan for essential health benefits.
  • Plans to establish a new benchmark plan for the 2027 plan year.
  • Requires insurers to add coverage for specific fertility services and durable medical equipment starting January 1, 2027, if federal approval is received.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Health insurance companies in California
  • People with individual or small group health insurance policies

Terms To Know

Benchmark plan
The specific list of medical services that all health insurance plans must cover.
Essential health benefits
A minimum set of healthcare coverage required by federal law for individual and small group policies.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The new rules only start if the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services approves a plan change.
  • The exact list of fertility services and medical equipment is not detailed in this summary text.

Bill History

  1. California Legislative Information

    Chaptered

Official Summary Text

Health care coverage: essential health benefits.