U.S. Representative Introduces Bill Requiring Menopause Training in Medical Schools

U.S. Rep. Valerie Foushee introduced the Menopause Education for Medical Students Act in June 2026 to require menopause training in medical schools. The bill aims to prepare physicians to treat women experiencing the condition.

Louisiana Rep. Aimee Adatto Freeman introduced legislation in 2024 that requires Medicaid and private insurance to cover perimenopause and menopause treatment. The measure passed that year. Maryland will require private insurers to cover menopause care and will offer incentives for provider education after Rep.

Joseline Peña-Melnyk introduced the bill earlier in 2026. Rhode Island mandated workplace accommodations for menopausal women in summer 2025. Ohio Rep. Ashley Bryant Bailey introduced a coverage bill in March 2026.

More than half of U.S. states have introduced or passed menopause-related bills or laws in the past two years. Elizabeth Lapeyre, a New Orleans gynecologist who specializes in menopause, said monthly hormone replacement therapy costs can reach $500 and that many plans do not cover the medication.

“We are leaving so many women behind,” she said. A 2025 GoodRx study found that one in five women delayed or skipped treatment because of cost and that only 26 percent have insurance coverage for hormone replacement therapy. One in 10 women leave the workforce because of menopause, and one in five are considering early retirement, USA Today reported.

A Mayo Clinic study estimated that menopause leads to $1.8 billion in lost work time each year. The menopause industry, which includes supplements and devices, is valued at $20 billion. Perimenopause can last up to 10 years.