California Stops Kids Copay Bill After Lobbying: States of Play

Jan. 23, 2026, 7:32 PM UTC
The California State Capitol
The California State Capitol
Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg

A KEY CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE blocked a bill that would have eliminated copayments and other out-of-pocket medical costs for millions of children on private health insurance.

  • The setback for the legislation is a victory for insurers and employers, who argued it would have raised premiums in California by $711 million a year.
  • The Assembly Appropriations Committee held the bill without debate during a hearing Thursday, leaving it stranded ahead of a Jan. 31 deadline for the measure to receive a vote of the full Assembly. The move likely dooms the measure for the current legislative session, which ends in ...

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