Oregon becomes latest state to require menopause coverage

New law took effect in January

Oregon now requires state-regulated health insurance plans to cover menopause treatments. House Bill 3064 took effect on Jan. 1, 2026, making Oregon one of a handful of states with this kind of mandate.

The law covers FDA-approved therapies for perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause, including hormone therapy, antidepressants, and medications to prevent osteoporosis.

Gov. Tina Kotek signed the bill into law as Chapter 500 of Oregon Laws 2025.

These health plans must now comply

The law covers individual and family health plans regulated by Oregon’s Division of Financial Regulation. Small business plans regulated by the state fall under it too.

Plans offered through the Oregon Educators Benefit Board (OEBB) and the Public Employees’ Benefit Board (PEBB) must also comply.

The requirement kicks in for any plan issued, renewed, or extended on or after Jan. 1, 2026. That means some Oregonians may not see changes until their plan renews later this year.

Many workers won’t see a change

Not everyone in Oregon benefits from the new law. Employer self-funded plans, which cover a large share of workers in the state, fall outside state authority.

Medicare and Medicaid, including Oregon’s Health Plan for low-income residents, are also exempt because the federal government regulates them.

Women on any of those plans should check directly with their insurers about what menopause treatments they can get. The gap is worth knowing about.

A Republican lawmaker pushed the bill

The chief sponsor was Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis, a Republican from Albany, and her reasons were personal.

Boshart Davis said her own doctor denied her menopause care, and her insurer refused to pay for the hormone therapy her nurse practitioner recommended.

Instead, the insurer wanted her to try a substitute or a lower dose. That experience drove her to write the bill.

She said too many women face the same fight just to get basic treatment.

Both parties backed the bill

The bill drew support from both sides of the aisle.

Eleven lawmakers from both parties co-sponsored it, and the Oregon House passed HB 3064 unanimously in June 2025. Rep. Cyrus Javadi, a Republican from Tillamook, was the only male co-sponsor among the original group.

Javadi said backing better menopause care was an easy call because it affects half the population. That kind of bipartisan agreement is rare on health care bills.

Treatments range from hormones to bone drugs

The law covers a range of FDA-approved treatments.

Hormone therapies like estrogen and progesterone top the list, along with antidepressants used to manage menopause symptoms.

Medications that prevent and treat osteoporosis are also included, since bone loss speeds up after menopause. The key limit is that only treatments approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration qualify.

Anything outside that approval does not fall under the mandate.

Oregon set aside funding for coverage

The state allocated about $1.1 million for PEBB to cover the new menopause benefits during the 2025-27 budget period. OEBB received an additional allocation of about $291,000.

Those funds raise the spending limits for both benefit boards so they can meet the new mandate. The money covers state employees and educators whose plans run through those boards.

Some insurers already offer this coverage

Not every insurer had to scramble. Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon said it already covered the treatments the bill calls for.

But Regence still supported the legislation because it believed all Oregonians deserve equal coverage.

The insurer did ask lawmakers to limit the mandate to FDA-approved treatments, and the final version of the bill included that language. For women whose plans had gaps, the law fills them.

Other states passed similar laws first

Oregon joins a growing national push. Illinois and Louisiana already require full menopause insurance coverage for all state-regulated plans, and Washington state requires coverage for some patients.

As of early 2026, lawmakers in 19 states have introduced menopause-related bills, and eight of those bills have become law.

The movement has picked up speed over the past two years as more women speak up about gaps in care.

Millions of women deal with menopause yearly

About 1.3 million women in the United States enter menopause each year. Symptoms can include hot flashes, trouble sleeping, mood changes, and weight gain.

Beyond the day-to-day struggles, menopause also raises the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease. Many women have said their doctors dismissed or misdiagnosed their symptoms.

A lack of standard treatment guidelines has made getting proper care even harder, which is part of why advocates pushed for laws like this one.

How Oregon women can check their coverage

Women on state-regulated plans should call their insurer now to confirm menopause coverage is active.

The law applies to plans issued, renewed, or extended on or after Jan. 1, 2026, so the timing depends on each plan’s renewal date.

Women on employer self-funded plans, Medicare, or Medicaid should check their own plan documents separately.

Anyone with questions about whether their plan falls under the law can call the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation toll-free at 888-877-4894.

Oregon passed more health protections too

HB 3064 was not the only health law that took effect in January 2026.

Senate Bill 1137 now requires coverage for advanced breast reconstruction using a patient’s own tissue. Senate Bill 692 requires coverage for doula services during and after pregnancy.

And Senate Bill 605 bans medical debt from showing up on credit reports. Together, these laws expand health protections for Oregon women and families heading into 2026.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

Read more from this brand:

• This Oregon tunnel has huge windows overlooking the Columbia River Gorge – here’s the history
• Don’t let 2025 end without trying this legendary Portland donut
• Timberline Lodge: from rat-infested ruin to Oregon’s crown jewel