Stuart Expands Insurance Coverage of Emerging Therapy for Menopause, Cancer Symptoms

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Insurance companies will be required to cover new therapies for women experiencing often-painful symptoms of menopause and some cancers under a bipartisan law enacted by state Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville.

“Ensuring that women can live healthy and comfortable lives benefits our whole state,” Stuart said. “Insurance companies should not prioritize profits over the health of women in our community.”

Many women can experience more frequent urinary tract infections, dryness, and other painful symptoms as a result of reduced estrogen levels after menopause or after treatment for breast and ovarian cancer. Low-dose estrogen therapies prescribed by a doctor can provide relief, but insurance companies often challenge its necessity and refuse to pay.

Stuart’s House Bill 1565 requires insurance companies to cover estrogen therapies at no cost to patients. The bill received bipartisan support in the House and has been signed into law. It applies to health insurance or managed care plans beginning in 2025.

“Protecting women and their health rights while also focusing on tackling cost measures for equal access should not be controversial,” Stuart said. “When a treatment is medically necessary, insurance companies have a duty to help people access it. I’m hopeful that more women will now be able to obtain the care they need.”