On January 9, 2026, the California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) and several other state agencies released a statement that California and American Academy of Pediatrics-recommended vaccines must continue to be covered by health plans and insurers regulated by the State of California. Vaccines can be received at no cost from an insured’s doctor, as well as some local pharmacies or other authorized providers.
The statement follows California Assembly Bill (AB) 144, signed September 17, 2025, which mandates health plans in California cover preventive care services recommended by the federal government as of January 1, 2025, or recommended by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), with no cost-sharing or prior authorization for health plan members. In September 2025, DMHC also issued All Plan Letter 25-015, which provided information and guidance to licensed health plans on the protections enacted under AB 144. For example, under state law, plans must cover without cost-sharing or utilization management, all items, services, and immunizations related to COVID-19 with a United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) “A” or “B” recommendation as of January 1, 2025. Plans must continue to cover these services even if the USPSTF removes or downgrades its recommendations. It also allows the CDPH to modify or supplement the USPSTF recommendations and require plans to cover the modifications or supplements within 15 business days after the CDPH publishes the updated recommendations.
Employers with fully insured plans or self-funded plans subject to state regulation may want to be aware of this recent news release.
For the full text of the DMHC Press Release from January 9, 2026, see the joint statement from California Health and Human Services leaders on vaccine access and availability. View the finalized version passed by California’s legislature, Assembly Bill (AB) 144. Review the full content of the All Plan Letter, issue 25-015.