[Sacramento, CA] – Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda) issued the following statement regarding Governor Gavin Newsom's 2026-27 budget proposal to expand access to perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopausal healthcare:
"I commend Governor Newsom for taking menopause action in the budget and continuing to prioritize women's health. Despite the widespread impact of menopause, most women still struggle to receive proper diagnosis, care, and treatment. This investment in both coverage and education is a critical step toward closing the healthcare gap that has left too many women without the support they need. Thank you, Governor, for being a partner in this: together, we're ensuring California women get the care they deserve.
It has been a privilege to partner with Halle Berry for years now, bringing this issue to light and ensuring that midlife women are not ignored. Her leadership and advocacy are instrumental to policy changes like this across the country.
I also want to thank Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and the Department of Insurance for their commitment to ensuring comprehensive coverage, which has been instrumental in moving this forward."
Background: Governor Newsom's budget proposal, announced yesterday, includes a comprehensive plan to improve access to menopause healthcare across California.
The proposal:
- Improves prescription drug coverage for symptoms of menopause by requiring certain health plans to cover FDA-approved treatments for perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopausal symptoms, including coverage in the Medi-Cal program
- Increases consumer and provider awareness by requiring plans to screen enrollees age 40 and older for menopause during primary care and OB/GYN appointments
- Notifies health plan enrollees of the menopause services available to them Provides professional training incentives for physicians who specialize in menopause care
- Invests $3 million to support a statewide public awareness campaign
This budget proposal fulfills a commitment Governor Newsom made to California women last year and comes after the October 2025 veto of AB 432, the Menopause Care Equity Act, which had passed the Legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support (70-1 in the Assembly and 39-0 in the Senate).
Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan has been a leading advocate for menopause care equity in California, working alongside women's health advocate and Academy Award-winning actor Halle Berry to address the critical healthcare gap affecting millions of California women. Currently, up to 70% of women seeking menopause care don't receive adequate treatment. Governor Newsom's budget proposal addresses this gap by expanding coverage, increasing provider education, and raising public awareness.
