Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan Introduces AB 432: The Menopause Care Equity Act

[SACRAMENTO, CA] – Menopause and perimenopause impact half the population, yet healthcare coverage, provider education, and public awareness remain severely lacking. Women experiencing these natural life stages are often left to “tough it out” without adequate medical guidance or treatment. AB 432, introduced by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, ensures that women receive the comprehensive care they deserve by expanding insurance coverage for menopause-related treatments and requiring healthcare providers to receive proper training on menopause care.

“Women are half the population, and yet our healthcare system fails to provide us with the care we need as we age,” said Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan. “This legislation closes the care gap, ensuring that menopause is treated as the critical health issue it is—not as an afterthought. We deserve comprehensive coverage and informed medical care, just like any other stage of life.”

Menopause has long been overlooked in healthcare policy, but the conversation is finally changing. High-profile figures, like Halle Berry, have spoken out about the challenges of navigating menopause without proper medical guidance, highlighting the widespread need for better care. With growing public awareness and support, it's time for policy to catch up. 

“I am thrilled to support Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan's vital legislation, The Menopause Care Equity Act, to finally address the significant inequities in menopause healthcare that women face. We have been underserved for far too long. I look forward to working together this year to ensure it gets signed into law” said Halle Berry, academy-award-winning actress and global menopause activist 

The Urgent Need for Comprehensive Care

Despite the widespread impact of menopause, most women struggle to receive proper diagnosis, care, and treatment. The consequences of this lack of medical attention are staggering:

• 94% of women report being inadequately informed about menopause and other common female health issues.
• Up to 70% of women who seek medical care for menopause symptoms do not receive the necessary treatment.
• Only 19% of women aged 40-60 receive an official menopause diagnosis, despite experiencing symptoms.
• 73% of women are not treating their menopause symptoms, leading to unnecessary health risks and economic burdens.

Women of color face even greater disparities, with studies showing that Black women experience more severe menopause symptoms but encounter more barriers to care than their white counterparts.

The Financial Toll of Inadequate Menopause Care

The failure to provide comprehensive menopause care is not only a public health issue—it is a financial burden on women and the healthcare system:

• Women diagnosed with menopause incur 45% more healthcare costs annually than those without a diagnosis.
• The average woman undergoing menopause treatment faces $4,639 in additional healthcare costs per year, totaling $32,000 to $65,000 over the menopause transition.

With menopause symptoms lasting anywhere from 12 months to eight years, the financial strain on women is both long-term and severe.

What AB 432 Does

AB 432 takes critical steps to ensure that all women receive the care they need by:

1. Mandating comprehensive insurance coverage for medically necessary menopause and perimenopause treatments, eliminating restrictive utilization management practices that have historically blocked access to care.
2. Requiring physicians to complete menopause-specific Continuing Medical Education (CME) if more than 25% of their patient population consists of women, ensuring providers have the knowledge to properly diagnose and treat menopause.
3. Directing the Medical Board to develop Continuing Medical Education curriculum to ensure physicians receive up-to-date and standardized training for treating menopause. 

Current CME requirements mandate education on topics such as pain management and care for terminally ill patients, but menopause education remains optional—leaving many doctors ill-equipped to support their patients.

“Women should not have to fight for access to medically necessary care simply because menopause is under-researched and misunderstood,” said Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan. “This bill ensures that menopause is treated as a priority in our healthcare system, not as a taboo.”

AB 432 is a crucial step toward recognizing menopause as a significant healthcare issue and ensuring that millions of women receive the coverage, treatment, and respect they deserve