(1) Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of physicians and surgeons by the Medical Board of California and requires the board to adopt and administer standards for the continuing education of those licensees. Existing law requires the board, in determining its continuing education requirements, to consider including a course in menopausal mental or physical health.
This bill would delete that requirement of the board and, instead, require specified physicians whose patient population is composed of 25% or more adult women under 65 years of age, for their first license renewal after July 1, 2026, and every 4 years thereafter, to complete at least 5 hours of mandatory continuing medical education in a course in perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopausal care.
Existing law, the Osteopathic Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of osteopathic physicians and surgeons by the Osteopathic Medical Board of California and requires the board to adopt and administer standards for the continuing education of those licensees.
This bill would require specified osteopathic physicians to meet the above-described continuing medical education requirement relating to perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopausal care.
(2) Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care and makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law also provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law sets forth specified coverage requirements for health care service plan contracts and health insurance policies.
This bill would require a health care service plan contract or health insurance policy, except as specified, that is issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, to include coverage for evaluation and treatment options for perimenopause and menopause. The bill would require a health care service plan or health insurer to annually provide clinical care recommendations, as specified, for hormone therapy to all contracted primary care providers who treat individuals with perimenopause and menopause. Because a willful violation of these provisions by a health care service plan would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
(3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Statutes affected:
AB 432: 2191 BPC
02/05/25 - Introduced: 2191 BPC
04/23/25 - Amended Assembly: 2191 BPC
05/27/25 - Amended Assembly: 2191 BPC