IVF Is Now Covered by Insurance in This State

It’s a topic the US presidential election has brought front-and-center as part of the conversation related to reproductive rights. As if having reason to turn to IVF, like difficulty conceiving or multiple pregnancy losses—not to mention the logistics surrounding IVF—aren’t nerve-wracking enough, now women in many U.S. states are worried they’ll lose access to fertility care.

But in one state, IVF patients just gained greater assurance…thanks to insurance. On Sunday, September 29, California governor Gavin Newsom signed a new legislature expanding access to reproductive healthcare in the Golden State. The senate bill, known as SB 729, requires large group health plans and disability insurance policies to cover the costs of in vitro fertilization (IVF), including testing and treatments. It will affect all plans “issued, amended, or renewed on or after July 1, 2025.”

The bill specifies that insurers must cover the expenses of up to three completed oocyte (egg) retrievals and unlimited embryo transfers, a plan that RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, a 501(c)3 patient advocacy organization, says gives patients “the best chance of a successful pregnancy.”

The new legislature also removes roadblocks for unpartnered people and those in the LGBTQ+ community, since it no longer requires couples to attempt to “conceive naturally” before qualifying for fertility assistance.

“Today is a personal and emotional victory,” said the bill’s author, State Senator Caroline Menjivar, in a written statement. “And, it is a triumph for the many Californians who have been denied a path towards family-building because of the financial barriers that come with fertility treatment, their relationship status, or are blatantly discriminated against as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.”

In a separate post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Menjivar noted that the “historic day” of the bill’s signing “has been two years in the making, plus decades of painstaking work by advocates and legislators who paved the way.”

The new law will mean that roughly nine million Californians enrolled in qualifying health plans will be covered by insurance when they seek fertility assistance or IVF. “Citizens who receive health coverage from religious employers or are enrolled in Medi-Cal will not have access to the benefits under this new law,” the Pacific Fertility Center Los Angeles notes.

As a result of the new legislature, California has now joined ranks with at least fifteen other states that have IVF insurance coverage mandates. You can find a summary of your own state’s fertility insurance laws and a map of coverage on REVOLVE’s website.

After announcing the bill, Newsom swiped at Republican lawmakers who recently struck down a federal bill protecting nationwide access to IVF and its related insurance coverage. “California is a proud reproductive freedom state—and that includes increasing access to fertility services that help those who want to start a family,” he said. “As Republicans across the country continue to claw back rights and block access to IVF—all while calling themselves ‘the party of families’—we are proud to help every Californian make their own choices about the family they want.”

So if there’s truth to the saying “As California goes, so goes the nation,” it’s encouraging to see the most populous US state taking the lead on fertility care.

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