California Senate Bill 729 FAQ

We’re thrilled to see expanded insurance coverage for fertility treatments in California with the passage of Senate Bill 729. This groundbreaking legislation, set to take effect potentially as soon as July of 2025, ensures broader insurance coverage for fertility services including IVF, strengthens protections for fertility care for the LGBTQ+ community, and expands overall access to reproductive healthcare. 

With this exciting news, it’s more important than ever to understand how timing and insurance coverage can impact your path to parenthood. To help, we’ve prepared an FAQ to equip you with the knowledge needed to navigate these changes and achieve your family-building goals.

What is Senate Bill 729?

Senate Bill 729 (SB 729) is a California law that requires health insurance plans to cover infertility diagnosis and treatment, including services like in vitro fertilization (IVF). It expands the definition of infertility, ensures fair access to fertility treatments, and removes some limitations that existed previously. The law applies to health plans renewed or started after July 1, 2025, but it does include some exceptions, like religious employers. It aims to ensure equality in accessing fertility care, including helping members of the LGBTQ+ community build their families. The text of the bill can be found here.

What coverage will be required under the bill?

Fully insured employers with 101 or more employees that offer large group healthcare plans must cover the diagnosis and treatment of infertility. This will include up to three egg retrievals and an unlimited number of embryo transfers in accordance with ASRM single embryo transfer guidelines. We anticipate once the payers start to add the benefit to their plans we will get more clarification on the coverage of services.

Small Group Employers, Religious organizations and self-funded employers will not be required to follow this mandate.

When will my insurance start paying for my fertility services?

Currently, services will start to be covered as of July 1, 2025. However, only plans that are amended or renewed with the effective date of July 1st. For employers that do not have renewals on July 1st, coverage for services will be added upon renewal in the remaining 11 months. 

However, Governor Gavin Newsom has requested to delay the effective date until January 1st, 2026. He asked for a delay because there are concurrent efforts underway to update the standards for commercial insurance health coverage, which includes infertility treatment and IVF. The delay will allow for an evaluation of the costs and benefits of this bill within the context of these updates. In this case, services would start to be covered on January 1st, 2026 for plans that amend or renew on this date, or upon renewal thereafter, which means that the benefits would become effective between January 1 2026 and December 31, 2026.

State employees who are covered under Cal-PERS will gain coverage effective January 1, 2027.

Should I delay care until my insurance coverage kicks in?

It’s important to consult with your healthcare professional to determine the best timing for you. Due to the timeline of implementation and the impact of age on the reproductive system, your provider may recommend that you not wait for coverage. As mentioned above, benefits will be added no sooner than July 1, 2025 and could take until 2027 for some patients depending on their employer and renewal date. 

In addition, there could be further delays in coverage as insurers sort through how to offer these exciting new benefits. It is also important to understand if the mandate will pertain to you, as it only impacts fully insured large employer groups. 

How does this bill protect LGBTQ+ Californians interested in building their families?

Senate Bill 729 protects the LGBTQ+ community by expanding the definition of infertility to include those unable to conceive due to medical or nonmedical reasons, like same-sex relationships. It ensures that health insurance plans cover fertility treatments, such as IVF, without requiring proof of a medical infertility diagnosis. This makes fertility care more accessible and equitable for LGBTQ+ individuals and couples who want to build their families.

Does this bill require coverage for fertility preservation?

Yes and no. The bill requires health insurance plans in California to cover fertility preservation procedures when medically necessary, such as before undergoing treatments like chemotherapy that can harm reproductive health. However, the bill does not mandate coverage for nonmedical fertility preservation, such as delaying parenthood for personal or professional reasons.

What don’t we know?

As the bill is in the earliest stages of implementation, we don’t yet know what the clinical requirements of coverage may be. For example, you may have to do a transfer after each retrieval vs. conducting a series of retrievals in order to produce the appropriate number of embryos for your family-building goals, or whether the quantity or quality of eggs retrieved could affect coverage as you progress in your journey.  

What does this mean for me right now?

There will be no changes to your coverage until July 1, 2025, at the earliest. In the meantime, we recommend gathering as much information as you can so you can make informed decisions about your care. Now is a good time to call your insurance company to learn what is currently covered under your plan and speak to your Human Resources about when your plans renew each year.  You may also want to meet with your healthcare provider to review your diagnosis, timing, and other details.

Our financial counselors are experts in discussing your cost of care and payment options, including fertility grants and loans. We’re here to help you through every step of your path to parenthood.