Bill Sponsor
California Senate Bill 40
Session 20252026
Health care coverage: insulin.
Became Law
Became Law
Became Law on Oct 13, 2025
Sponsors
First Action
Dec 3, 2024
Latest Action
Oct 13, 2025
Origin Chamber
Senate
Type
Bill
Bill Number
40
State
California
Session
20252026
Sponsorship by Party
Democrat
Author
Democrat
Author
Democrat
Principal Coauthor
Unknown
Rubio
Principal Coauthor
Summary
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 requires a health care service plan contract or disability insurance policy issued, amended, delivered, or renewed on or after January 1, 2000, that covers prescription benefits to include coverage for insulin if it is determined to be medically necessary. This bill would prohibit a large group health care service plan contract or health insurance policy issued, amended, delivered, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, or an individual or small group health care service plan contract or health insurance policy on or after January 1, 2027, from imposing a copayment, coinsurance, deductible, or other cost sharing of more than $35 for a 30-day supply of an insulin prescription drug, except as specified. On and after January 1, 2026, the bill would prohibit a health care service plan or health insurer from imposing step therapy as a prerequisite to authorizing coverage of insulin, and, for a large group health care service plan contract or health insurance policy, would require at least one insulin for a given drug type in all forms and concentrations to be on the prescription drug formulary. The bill would limit the $35 cap for an individual or small group health care service plan contract or health insurance policy to only Tier 1 and Tier 2 insulin if the drug formulary is grouped into tiers, 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.
Documents (9)
10/13/2025
California State Legislature
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 737, Statutes of 2025.
10/13/2025
California State Legislature
Approved by the Governor.
09/16/2025
California State Legislature
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
09/09/2025
Senate
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
09/03/2025
Senate
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
09/03/2025
Assembly
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 2865.) Ordered to the Senate.
08/29/2025
Assembly
Ordered to third reading.
08/29/2025
Assembly
Read third time and amended.
08/21/2025
Assembly
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
08/20/2025
Assembly
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 20).
07/17/2025
Assembly
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
07/16/2025
Assembly
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (July 15).
06/27/2025
Assembly
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
06/18/2025
Assembly
June 24 hearing postponed by committee.
06/05/2025
Assembly
Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
05/28/2025
Assembly
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
05/28/2025
Senate
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 1280.) Ordered to the Assembly.
05/27/2025
Senate
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
05/23/2025
Senate
Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
05/23/2025
Senate
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1189.) (May 23).
05/16/2025
Senate
Set for hearing May 23.
04/21/2025
Senate
April 21 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
04/08/2025
Senate
Set for hearing April 21.
04/07/2025
Senate
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
04/03/2025
Senate
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0. Page 635.) (April 2).
03/25/2025
Senate
Set for hearing April 2.
03/17/2025
Senate
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
01/29/2025
Senate
Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
01/06/2025
Senate
Read first time.
12/04/2024
Senate
From printer. May be acted upon on or after January 3.
12/03/2024
Senate
Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
Sources
Record Created
Dec 4, 2024 6:09:07 PM
Record Updated
Oct 15, 2025 8:28:44 AM