‘A huge win for midlife women.’ CA governor proposes menopause support in 2026-27 budget
After vetoing a menopause care bill last fall, Newsom unveils proposal to improve access to menopause resources, education
EXPANDING SUPPORT FOR WOMEN’S HEALTH. SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE ENTERING MIDLIFE. THIS WEEK, GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM’S OFFICE ANNOUNCED A BUDGET TRAILER PROPOSAL FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR THAT WOULD OFFER PERIMENOPAUSE, MENOPAUSE AND POST MENOPAUSAL HEALTH CARE HELP. LAST FALL, THE GOVERNOR DID VETO LEGISLATION THAT WOULD HAVE OFFERED SIMILAR SUPPORT, SAYING AT THE TIME THE BILL THAT WAS PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE WAS TOO FAR REACHING. BUT HE PROMISED TO RECONCILE THAT VETO WITH A BUDGET ITEM. AND JOINING US NOW TO TALK MORE ABOUT ALL OF THAT AND WHAT IT MEANS IS ASSEMBLY MEMBER REBECCA BAUER KAHAN. SO FIRST OFF, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS WEEK’S ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE? WHAT DOES A BUDGET TRAILER DO IF THE BUDGET IS ULTIMATELY PASSED? AND IS THIS TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE, OR A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION? I THINK THIS IS A HUGE WIN FOR MIDLIFE WOMEN. YOU KNOW, I WAS OBVIOUSLY DISAPPOINTED WHEN WE GOT THE VETO IN SEPTEMBER, BUT A BUDGET ACTION GOES INTO EFFECT IMMEDIATELY. SO WHEN WE PASSED THIS TRAILER BILL, OR IF WE PASS THIS TRAILER BILL, I SHOULD SAY IT WOULD PROVIDE THE KIND OF RESOURCES THAT I HAD BEEN AIMING TO PROVIDE IN THE VETOED BILL IN A DIFFERENT WAY, BUT IN WAYS THAT ARE INCREDIBLY EXPANSIVE AS IT RELATES TO BOTH INSURANCE COVERAGE AND EDUCATION FOR WOMEN ENTERING PERIMENOPAUSE. AND THAT IS GAME CHANGING FOR ANY WOMAN LIKE ME WHO IS IN THIS PART OF THEIR LIFE OR IS ENTERING IT. YEAH, MENOPAUSE IS A HEALTH CARE ISSUE THAT PEOPLE MAY NOT THINK ABOUT UNTIL THEY’RE APPROACHING IT OR IN IT, OR THEIR PARTNER, THEIR PARENT, THEIR SIBLING, THEIR AUNT, THEIR LOVED ONE OR FRIEND IS GOING THROUGH IT. BUT THOSE DRAMATIC DROP IN ESTROGEN THAT HAPPENED IN MENOPAUSE CAN LEAD TO SYMPTOMS. AND WE’LL SHOW THEM ON OUR SCREEN. BONE DENSITY LOSS, OSTEOPOROSIS, HEART DISEASE, RISK FOR STROKE, HOT FLASHES, SLEEP DISRUPTION, METABOLIC HITS THAT LEAD TO WEIGHT GAIN, BRAIN FOG, MOOD DISORDERS, ANXIETY, SEXUAL HEALTH SIDE EFFECTS, FROZEN SHOULDER. MY GOODNESS, THE LIST GOES ON. SO HOW DID YOU BECOME AN ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE ENDURING THESE SYMPTOMS AND THEIR SIDE EFFECTS? AND WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOUR OFFICE AFTER YOU KNOW, YOUR LEGISLATION? THE BILL THAT YOU HAD PROPOSED WAS VETOED. BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE’S PROBABLY MORE ON THE HORIZON FOR YOUR WORK IN ALL OF THIS. YEAH. WELL, YOU JUST LISTED SOME OF THE REASONS WHY I GOT INTO THIS. I WAS EXPERIENCING DEBILITATING BRAIN FOG, AND I WENT TO NOT ONE, BUT TWO DOCTORS WHO FAILED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ME ABOUT MENOPAUSE, WHO WOULDN’T HELP ME. AND I DID END UP LANDING IN THE OFFICE OF A MENOPAUSE SOCIETY CERTIFIED DOCTOR WHO FINALLY DESCRIBED TO ME WHAT I WAS EXPERIENCING AND WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE ME WITH CARE THAT TURNED MY LIFE AROUND, HONESTLY. AND SO I THINK THAT EXPERIENCE JUST TAUGHT ME HOW LITTLE WE HAVE PREPARED OUR PHYSICIANS TO TREAT WOMEN. AND EVERY WOMAN WHO LIVES LONG ENOUGH WILL GO THROUGH MENOPAUSE. AND SO WE NEED TO BE IN A SPACE WHERE DOCTORS HAVE THIS TRAINING. YOU’RE ABLE TO GET THE CARE YOU NEED WHEN YOU ARRIVE IN THEIR OFFICE THE FIRST TIME, NOT THE THIRD TIME. AND THEN IF YOU’RE SOMEBODY WHO CAN’T HAVE MAINLINE TREATMENTS, IT SHOULDN’T COST YOU HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS A MONTH TO GET TREATMENT THAT WILL, IN THE END, LEAD TO LONGER AND HEALTHIER LIVES, BETTER BRAIN HEALTH, BETTER HEART HEALTH, BETTER BONE HEALTH, AS YOU MENTIONED. AND SO THESE ARE REALLY CRITICAL THINGS FOR WOMEN AS WE TRY TO AGE GRACEFULLY. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INSIGHT ON THIS AND YOUR WORK TOWARD RAISING AWARENESS AND AND HELPING PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT’S OKAY TO SPARK A CONVERSATION WITH THEIR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER ABOUT IT. THANK YOU FOR COVERING IT. IT’S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW ABOUT IT. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THE BILL WILL DO IS IT WILL ENSURE THAT EVERY WOMAN OVER 40 IS SCREENED WHEN SHE WALKS INTO THE DOCTOR AND GIVEN THE SYMPTOMS LIKE YOU JUST DID, WHICH IS SO CRITICAL TO US ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AND GETTING THE RIGHT CARE. ALL RIGHT. THANKS AGAIN.
‘A huge win for midlife women.’ CA governor proposes menopause support in 2026-27 budget
After vetoing a menopause care bill last fall, Newsom unveils proposal to improve access to menopause resources, education
Updated: 1:24 PM PST Feb 6, 2026
Governor Gavin Newsom’s office announced a budget trailer bill proposal this week that aims to improve healthcare support for women entering mid-life.If the 2026-27 trailer bill proposal is passed, it would provide for help and education for millions of women in California facing perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause.Last fall, the governor vetoed AB 432, legislation introduced by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda) that would have offered similar support. At the time, the governor said the bill passed by the legislature was too far-reaching.He promised, however, to reconcile that veto with a budget item for the upcoming fiscal year.According to the governor’s office, the budget trailer bill proposal would provide for the following if passed:Improved 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 programIncreased consumer and provider awareness by requiring plans to screen enrollees age 40 and older for menopause during primary care and OB/GYN appointmentsNotification to health plan enrollees of the menopause services available to themProfessional training incentives for physicians who specialize in menopause careA $3 million investment to support a statewide public awareness campaignKCRA 3 spoke with Bauer-Kahan to find out what she thinks about the proposal.“I think this is a huge win for midlife women. I was obviously disappointed when we got the veto in September, but a budget action goes into effect immediately,” Bauer-Kahan explained. “ it would provide the kind of resources that I had been aiming to provide in the vetoed bill in a different way, but in ways that are incredibly expansive as it relates to both insurance coverage and education for women entering perimenopause. And that is game changing for any woman like me who is in this part of their life or is entering it.”The assemblymember also released a statement about the governor’s budget trailer proposal, which can be read in its entirety at this link.Watch KCRA 3’s interview with Bauer-Kahan in the video player above.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Governor Gavin Newsom’s office announced a budget trailer bill proposal this week that aims to improve healthcare support for women entering mid-life.
If the 2026-27 trailer bill proposal is passed, it would provide for help and education for millions of women in California facing perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause.
Last fall, the governor vetoed AB 432, legislation introduced by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda) that would have offered similar support. At the time, the governor said the bill passed by the legislature was too far-reaching.
He promised, however, to reconcile that veto with a budget item for the upcoming fiscal year.
According to the governor’s office, the budget trailer bill proposal would provide for the following if passed:
Improved 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 programIncreased consumer and provider awareness by requiring plans to screen enrollees age 40 and older for menopause during primary care and OB/GYN appointmentsNotification to health plan enrollees of the menopause services available to themProfessional training incentives for physicians who specialize in menopause careA $3 million investment to support a statewide public awareness campaign
KCRA 3 spoke with Bauer-Kahan to find out what she thinks about the proposal.
“I think this is a huge win for midlife women. I was obviously disappointed when we got the veto in September, but a budget action goes into effect immediately,” Bauer-Kahan explained. “[If passed] it would provide the kind of resources that I had been aiming to provide in the vetoed bill in a different way, but in ways that are incredibly expansive as it relates to both insurance coverage and education for women entering perimenopause. And that is game changing for any woman like me who is in this part of their life or is entering it.”
The assemblymember also released a statement about the governor’s budget trailer proposal, which can be read in its entirety at this link.
Watch KCRA 3’s interview with Bauer-Kahan in the video player above.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel