SB 950 California 20252026 session
Health care coverage: dementia.
Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care and makes a willful violation of the act's requirements a crime. Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law prohibits specified health care service plan contracts and disability insurance policies from excluding persons covered by the plan from receiving benefits if they are diagnosed as having any significant destruction of brain tissue with resultant loss of brain function, including Alzheimer's disease. This bill would require a health care service plan contract or health insurance policy that is issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027, to include coverage for all medically necessary treatments or medications, as determined by a health care provider, approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease or other related dementia. On and after January 1, 2027, the bill would prohibit a health care service plan or health insurer from imposing step therapy protocols as a prerequisite to authorizing that coverage, except as provided. Because a willful violation of these provisions by a health care service plan would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Status
- Introduced
- Committee
- Floor vote
- Passed
- Enacted
Passed one chamber — last recorded action August 6, 2026
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Recorded votes
Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
16 yes · 0 no · pass June 30, 2026
3rd Reading SB950 Weber Pierson et al.
38 yes · 0 no · pass May 19, 2026
Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]
9 yes · 0 no · pass April 15, 2026
Passage likelihood
95% Higher than most bills at this stage
This is an estimate, not a guarantee. It is computed from the signals listed below and nothing else. It does not account for leadership priorities, floor scheduling, or negotiations that are not in the public record.
What the estimate is based on
- Historical base rate About 20% of introduced state bills are enacted.
- Current stage Passed one chamber.
- Cosponsors 5 cosponsors.
State-level impact
State-level impact data is not available for this bill. The source text does not contain a per-state funding formula or scored breakdown, so no figures are shown.
Official actions
- Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
- From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 5).
- Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
- From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (June 30).
- June 23 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.
- Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
- In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
- Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 4341.) Ordered to the Assembly.
- Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
- From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 4070.) (April 27).
- Set for hearing April 27.
- Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
- From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0. Page 3901.) (April 15).
- Set for hearing April 15.
- Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
- From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 5.
- Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.