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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
health insurance; fertility preservation; coverage
Purpose
Requires a health insurer, on or after January 1, 2027, to provide coverage for standard fertility preservation services, without requiring preauthorization, to an insured who is within reproductive age, who is diagnosed with cancer and whose medically necessary treatment may cause iatrogenic infertility.
Background
The Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions regulates policies, certificates, evidences of coverage and contracts of insurance (insurance policies) that are issued or delivered by insurers. Every insurer that offers individual health insurance coverage in the individual market in Arizona must provide guaranteed availability of coverage to eligible individuals who desire to enroll in individual health insurance coverage (A.R.S. § 20-1379).
Fertility preservation is a health care service for patients undergoing treatment for medical conditions that may result in fertility impairment caused by medical treatment that has a potential side effect of impaired fertility.
If requiring health insurers to provide coverage for standard fertility preservation services to insured individuals who meet the outlined requirements results in a change to employer contributions for the state employee health plan, there may be a fiscal impact to the state General Fund.
Provisions
1. Requires a health insurer that issues, amends or renews an insurance policy on or after January 1, 2027, to provide coverage for standard fertility preservation services to an insured who is within reproductive age, who is diagnosed with cancer and whose medically necessary treatment may cause iatrogenic infertility.
2. Defines iatrogenic infertility as an impairment of fertility that is caused directly or indirectly by surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or other medical treatment that has a potential side effect of impaired fertility as established by the American Society of Clinical Oncology or the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
3. Defines standard fertility preservation services to:
a) mean oocyte and sperm preservation procedures that are consistent with established medical practices or professional guidelines published by the American Society of Clinical Oncology or the American Society for Reproductive Medicine;
b) mean the storage for at least three years of preserved ovarian tissue, sperm and oocyte; and
c) include cryopreservation of ovarian tissue, sperm and oocyte.
4. Prohibits a health insurer from requiring preauthorization for standard fertility preservation services.
5. Allows an insurance policy to contain provisions for maximum benefits and to require standard fertility preservation services to be subject to the same deductibles, copayments, coinsurance and reasonable limitations and exclusions.
6. Allows a religious employer to submit a written request to the insurer for an exemption from the requirement to provide coverage for standard fertility preservation services for an insured who is within reproductive age, who is diagnosed with cancer and whose medically necessary treatment may cause iatrogenic infertility.
7. Requires the health insurer to grant a requested exemption if the coverage conflicts with the employer's religious beliefs and requires a religious employer that obtains an exemption to provide written notice of the exemption to prospective insureds.
8. Specifies that the requirement to provide coverage for standard fertility preservation services does not prevent an insured from purchasing a supplemental insurance policy that covers standard fertility preservation services at the insured's own expense.
9. Defines terms.
10. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 12, 2026
MG/hk