Up until now, our blogs have sought to educate folks about the topics we specialize in, like prehab, hormones, and peptides. For one of us (Lauren/Admire's Practice Manager), advocating for policy decisions that improve access to quality healthcare is something she's often vocal about (among other fun topics, feel free to ask her about it some time!). Federal and state-level policy plays a key role in determining what lifesaving preventative screenings are covered by your insurance or what research is funded and, therefore, deemed important.

So when it comes to menopause, leading neuroscientist Dr. Lisa Mosconi states that "menopause remains one of the most under-diagnosed, under-researched, under-treated, and under-funded fields in medicine." In fact, the one major research study that looked at hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in postmenopausal women is now deemed misleading and inaccurate. But that study prevented women from trying HRT for decades while they were forced to simply move on and suffer the debilitating symptoms of menopause. Now, HRT might not be right for everyone, but for many people, it could have saved them years of brain fog, pain, lost sleep and even fractured relationships (in addition to the dozens of other symptoms that affect one's ability to function at home and work).

For this reason, I firmly believe in the power of policy to ensure equitable healthcare for all. No matter where you live, you have the ability to shape the policies that improve our healthcare. How do I know? Louisiana just became the first state to pass a law requiring Medicaid and private health insurance plans to cover perimenopause and menopause treatments. The house bill was sponsored by a representative who heard from doctors who couldn't get HRT covered by Medicaid for some of their menopausal patients.

Well what about Delaware? I'm so glad you asked! Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester co-sponsored a bill that calls for grant funding to train providers and improve the diagnosis and treatment of menopause. If you've read our last blog post, Angela--a nurse practitioner herself-- couldn't get her providers to listen to her symptoms and properly diagnose her menopause issues, so clearly a lot more needs to be done.

Time for some good news! Here are a few bills introduced in the house and senate to keep an eye out for:

1. The Advancing Menopause Care and Mid-Life Women's Health Act seeks to:

• Expand research on menopause through the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• Improve medical education and training for healthcare providers about menopause and related health issues
• Address disparities in menopause care and research, ensuring that everyone receives the same level of care
• Support the development of evidence-based treatment options for menopause symptoms

2. The Menopause Research and Equity Act of 2023 would:

• Direct the NIH to expand research on menopause, particularly focusing on symptoms and their impact on quality of life, treatment options and their effectiveness, how menopause affects different populations, and the relationship between menopause and various health conditions
• Emphasize research on historically underserved populations
• Require regular reporting on NIH-funded research to ensure accountability
• Support studies on workplace impacts and accommodations for individuals experiencing menopause symptoms

So where do you come in? Number one, keep an eye out for future blog posts where I'll provide updates to this and other pieces of legislation. Secondly, you have the power to write your representative and ensure your state requires public and private health insurance plans to cover perimenopause and menopause treatments. For our patients in Delaware, for instance, insurance will not cover testosterone for women even though 1. women do indeed produce and need this hormone and 2. testosterone levels drop during perimenopause (stay tuned for a blog diving into that).

If you'd like to read more or find other ways to take action, check out https://thepauselife.com/pages/menopause-advocacy and download "A Citizen's Guide to Menopause Advocacy."