Several states are considering bills related to mandatory menopause and perimenopause coverage and other proposals, saying it improves quality of life and work productivity when people have access to care that relieves symptoms. Some states have already rejected the idea this session. (Getty Images)
Several states are considering legislation related to menopause and perimenopause this session, including proposals to introduce mandatory insurance and others that would include job protections for people experiencing symptoms related to these conditions. Others have already said no to similar bills.
According to experts, menopause usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55 National Institute on Agingaverage age 52 years. Hormonal changes associated with menopause – when a woman stops menstruating – can cause sizzling flashes, night sweats, joint problems, insomnia, mood swings, and more. For several years leading up to menopause, women may also experience symptoms classified as perimenopause, when menstrual cycles become more irregular and hormones fluctuate, leading to some symptoms that mimic menopause.
Bills are pending in Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, while others have already failed. One billalready passed in New Jersey, imposes an obligation to provide insurance coverage for diagnosis and treatment health problems related to menopausewhich includes brittle bone treatment, pelvic floor physical therapy, hormone therapies, and behavioral health services. It is now law, after Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy signed it before he left office in January.
“There are things that we (men) will never experience and that we don’t know about, and that’s why we need to support them,” Freiman said.
Based on the statehouse’s analysis, it’s unclear what the bill’s budget impact would be, but Freiman said it’s not just about upfront costs. Factors such as quality of life, longevity and loss of productivity at work are more challenging to measure, including long-term complications that may be associated with certain medical conditions.
According to A Mayo Clinic study published in 2023, menopause-related symptoms cost an estimated $1.8 billion in lost work time each year and medical expenses cost more than $26 billion annually.
“You can extrapolate someone feeling better to the economy if you really just want to think about it from a spreadsheet perspective,” he said.
Four other states require insurance for menopause treatment: Illinois, Louisiana, Oregon AND Washington. California has authorized providers to have professional licenses for menopause education, but Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed two bills that would have required health insurance plans to cover diagnosis and treatment costs, saying it would enhance health care costs. Newsom’s activities included the development of perimenopausal, menopausal and postmenopausal health care. budget proposal for the 2026-27 financial year after criticism of the veto, including from actress Halle Berry.
Maine passed Bill in 2025, led the state health department to create outreach materials on the topic, contributing $40,000 to the effort through 2027. Still other states, including those with Democratic majorities, are not yet ready to make the change.
Colorado
House Bill 26: : It would require all state health benefit plans and the Medicaid program to provide coverage for hormone replacement therapy as recommended by licensed physicians for women going through menopause or perimenopause.
Status: It failed after the House Health and Human Services Committee adjourned it indefinitely on February 24
Sponsor: Republican Rep. Rebecca Keltie
Florida
House Bill 161: : This bill, along with an identical version in the Senate, would require the Florida Department of Health to establish a Perimenopause and Menopause Policy Working Group to develop communication strategies for public education efforts.
Status: On March 13, he failed the exam at the Subcommittee on Health Professions and Programs
Sponsor: Democratic Republican Yvonne Hayes Hinson
Georgia
House Bill 988: : This Republican-sponsored bill would require the state’s employee health insurance plan to cover hormone replacement therapy for biological women going through menopause and perimenopause.
Status: It has been awaiting a vote in the Georgia House of Representatives since January
Sponsors: Republican Party Representatives: Beth Camp, Jan Jones, Leesa Hagan, Bethany Ballard, Kimberly New and Carmen Rice
Michigan
House Bill 4791: : A bipartisan bill requiring the state department of health to adopt and implement a menopause awareness educational program that includes symptoms, the range of treatment options that a specialist may prescribe, and any other information deemed appropriate for the educational program.
Status: It passed the House on March 10 and awaits consideration by the Senate Health Policy Committee
Sponsors: Democratic Rep. Samantha Steckloff and Republican Reps. Joseph Pavlov, Jamie Thompson, Douglas Wozniak, Kathy Schmaltz and William Bruck
Missouri
Senate Bill 1569: : This bill would require health benefit plans to cover treatment for menopause before, during, and after menopause, including hormone therapy, medications for depression, medications to prevent and treat osteoporosis, and topical hormone therapy.
Status: It is pending consideration by the Senate Insurance and Banking Committee, as of February 5
Sponsor: Democratic Senator Patty Lewis
Ohio
House Bill 767: : Two Democratic women, Reps. Ashley Bryant Bailey and Anita Somani, introduced this bill to require coverage and Medicaid coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of menopause, perimenopause and related symptoms. Bryant Bailey said the average cost of hormone therapy can range from $500 to $1,000, and without mandatory insurance, many menopause treatments are considered elective or cosmetic, according to the Ohio Capital Journal.
Status: It is pending consideration by the House of Representatives Insurance Committee
Sponsors: Democratic Reps. Ashley Bryant Bailey and Anita Somani
Rhode Island
Senate Bill 2890: : This bill would require health insurance coverage of hormonal and non-hormonal therapy for the treatment of menopausal symptoms as recommended by a qualified health care professional. This Act covers menopause caused by hysterectomy, which is the surgical removal of the uterus for medical reasons.
Status: Pending further examination in committee on April 9
Sponsors: Democratic Senators Lori Urso, Melissa Murray, Linda Ujifusa, Lammis Vargas, Pamela Lauria, Bridged Valverde and Peter Appollonio; Gordon Rogers
Virginia
Senate Bill 258: : In its original form, the act prohibited discrimination under the Virginia Human Rights Act on the basis of menopause and perimenopause. On April 13, Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger proposed a substitute bill that would instead direct the Commissioner of Labor and Industry to conduct a study on menopause and perimenopause in the labor market.
Status: Spanberger’s replacement proposal passed the Senate on Wednesday, April 22 and awaits House approval
Sponsors: Democratic Senators Stella Pekarsky and Angelia Williams Graves
This story was originally produced by News from the USwhich is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network that includes the Ohio Capital Journal and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.
