Officials in 15 states are reportedly noticing discussions about menopause among women throughout the United States.
Lawmakers are looking into whether they should advocate for additional menopause training for medical professionals or if insurance providers should be required to cover treatments related to it. This was mentioned in a recent report.
According to data from Jennifer Weisswolf, who heads the Bilbaum Women’s Leadership Center at New York University School of Law, at least 20 bills have been put forth this year across these states, along with insights from her colleagues tracking menopause legislation.
Menopause is a permanent phase in which women stop experiencing their menstrual cycles, typically occurring in their 40s or 50s, as noted by the Mayo Clinic.
This natural process can come with physical symptoms like hot flashes and emotional challenges that may disrupt sleep, drain energy, and impact mood. In many cases, menopause unfolds gradually, with the months or years before it termed the perimenopause phase.
Dr. Mary Clare Haver, a gynecologist at the Mary Clare Wellness Clinic and author of *The New Menopause*, told the media that there’s a lack of insurance support for treatments and no standardized protocols for managing menopause.
“For decades, menopause has been largely ignored in both clinical research and healthcare policies, largely because it impacts middle-aged women—a demographic that has often been underestimated and overlooked in medical contexts,” she stated.
Maine’s Governor Janet Mills recently enacted a law to enhance educational resources regarding menopause in her state. She instructed the Department of Health and Human Services to collaborate with healthcare providers to create informational materials concerning menopause and its symptoms, along with potential treatment options.
In May 2024, actress Halle Berry publicly declared, “I’m in menopause!” during a press event on Capitol Hill, where she claimed her doctors were unresponsive to her concerns. A U.S. Senator present at the event introduced legislation aimed at securing funding and resources for menopause-related issues.
The proposed bill, called the Advanced Menopause Care and Middle-aged Women’s Health Act, has bipartisan support and focuses on providing $275 million for research, raising awareness, and training healthcare professionals in menopause-related care.
