Bill > HB05389

This bill mandates the creation and distribution of a provider toolkit designed to assist healthcare professionals in diagnosing and treating menopause, perimenopause (the transition leading up to menopause), and postmenopause. The Department of Public Health, in collaboration with the University of Connecticut Health Center's Health Disparities Institute, individuals who have experienced these menopausal symptoms, and relevant healthcare providers, will develop this toolkit. The toolkit will offer practical, evidence-based, and culturally sensitive guidance on best practices for screening, identifying, assessing, diagnosing, and treating menopausal symptoms. It will cover a comprehensive description of symptoms, evidence-based treatment guidelines including hormone therapies like hormone replacement therapy and testosterone therapy, information on insurance coverage for these treatments, and short educational modules that can count as continuing education for providers. The Commissioner of Public Health is required to distribute this toolkit by June 1, 2028, and then evaluate feedback from providers, revise the toolkit as needed, and redistribute it by January 1, 2029. This initiative aims to improve the care provided to individuals experiencing menopausal symptoms across various medical specialties.