California State Assembly member Mia Bonta introduced legislation Jan. 29 that would require Medi-Cal and private insurers to cover fluoride varnish for patients under 21 years old, The Sacramento Bee reported Jan. 31.
Four notes:
1. Assembly Bill 350 aims to improve children's oral health in the state.
2. California has previously ranked among the worst states for pediatric dental disease.
3. The bill, if enacted, would apply to health care service plan contracts or insurance policies issued, amended or renewed on or after Jan. 1, 2026.
4. The bill was introduced amid national debate about water fluoridation, which began last year after the National Toxicology Program concluded in a contested report that higher levels of fluoride exposure are associated with lower IQ in children.