SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California could soon join more than a dozen other states that require insurance companies to cover infertility treatment. Gov. Gavin Newsom has a bill on his desk that would make IVF more accessible and equitable.
State Senator Caroline Menjivar authored SB 729, which would require large group health plans to provide coverage for infertility and IVF starting July 1, 2025.
Menjivar says a few years ago she and her wife had to make a difficult decision about how to spend their savings.
“Do we use our nest egg? All the money that we saved to buy a house, or do we start a family?” Menjivar noted.
They opted to use their savings for a down payment.
Menjivar says that without insurance coverage for fertility care, the out-of-pocket costs for treatments like IVF are not possible for many Californians.
Current law mandates health insurers to offer coverage for infertility treatment, but it does not require health plans to provide coverage.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, California clinics charge an average of $24,000 for every IVF cycle.
If signed into law, it’s estimated the bill will cost anywhere from $15 million to $80 million for the first two years of implementation.
SB 729 is supported by organizations like Equality California, the Alliance for Fertility Preservation, and the California Department of Insurance.
Insurance groups and the California Chamber of Commerce oppose the bill because of cost concerns and the potential for higher premiums.
“This is still an extremely large expense for California’s employers and employees,” said Preston Young, Senior Policy Advocate at the California Chamber of Commerce.
Dr. Ruben Alvero with the Stanford School of Medicine says mandates like the one in Menjivar’s bill allow patients to focus on their reproductive journey without having to deal with the financial stress that many families deal with when they have to figure out how to pay for IVF.
“Infertility is indeed a disease not unlike diabetes and cancer, and profoundly affects the quality of life of those affected, including one in seven Californians of reproductive age,” Alvero said.
SB 729 also looks to change who’s eligible for IVF in order to make it inclusive for LGBTQ+ families. Menjivar is proposing the new definition be anyone who’s unable to reproduce as an individual or with their partner without medical intervention.
“Right now, the definition of what it means to be infertile is discriminatory. You would have to prove years’ worth of unprotected sex to be treated for infertility. I have a wife — I can’t prove that,” said Menjivar.
Greg Burt with California Family Council, a Christian conservative organization, says changing the definition of infertility concerns him.
“We just don’t think the state has the right to redefine terms like this. Same-sex couples and single adults are not infertile. It’s simply that their biology doesn’t allow them to have children,” said Burt.
Menjivar adds that while California prides itself in being a safe haven for reproductive care, it is behind states like Utah and New York that have already made IVF treatment more accessible.
“This is the only thing missing to truly be the number one state for reproductive freedom,” added Menjivar.
Gov. Newsom has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto the bill.