Menopause can be a challenging chapter in any woman's life. We've all heard about the myriad of symptoms that can occur, including hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings that tend to plague so many women after their estrogen and progesterone levels fall and menstrual periods stop.1 However, the financial burden of managing this transitional period and the symptoms that come along with it, is often overlooked.
In this article, we will take a deeper dive into the potential costs associated with menopause care to help you feel more prepared regarding what to expect.
Understanding Menopause and Its Symptoms
Menopause is denoted when you haven't had a period for a consecutive 12 months – this secession of menstruation correlates to a volatility, and then an eventual drastic decline of progesterone and estrogen levels. During this time, you might experience a range of symptoms, including hot flashes, changes in your sex drive, vaginal dryness, headaches and shifts in mood. 2
Menopause is preceded by perimenopause, a time where estrogen levels begin to fluctuate and your periods may start to become more unpredictable and irregular. Women usually enter perimenopause in their mid-to-late 40s3 – but onset can occur earlier for some. During this span of time, many of the same symptoms as menopause often occur. Menopause typically begins, on average, around four years after the onset of perimenopause, once you haven't had a period for 12 months, as mentioned earlier.4 At this time, you’ve entered postmenopause.
While some women seem to breeze through menopause with minimal symptoms, others find themselves struggling with instances of disturbed sleep, difficulty concentrating, physical and mental fatigue, and a lower quality of life. 5 If menopause symptoms are negatively impacting your life, exploring different solutions to manage those symptoms can help you take charge again.
Direct Medical Costs Tied to Menopause Symptom Management
Direct medical costs are some of the expenses that immediately come to mind when considering the price of menopause symptom management. The average cost of seeing a healthcare provider ranges from between $80 and $170.6 Costs can vary for visits with certain types of specialists, including certified menopause specialists, gynecologists and endocrinologists; and the prices for various prescription treatment options, such as HRT and other medications indicated for menopause symptom management, can come to a total of up to $500 or more a month.7
While healthcare providers normally diagnose menopause clinically without lab testing, they may conduct blood tests to check your levels of follicle-stimulating hormones, estrogen, and thyroid-stimulating hormones.8 Blood tests can cost as little as a few dollars or up to thousands, depending on the test, the lab, and its location.9 There are also OTC urine or saliva tests available but those are typically out of pocket.
Additionally, while you typically won't need bone density scans until you're 65, your healthcare provider may recommend earlier testing if they feel you're at an increased risk of osteoporosis, which can become more prevalent during menopause and postmenopause.10 Scans are typically required every two years and can cost between $160 and $1,319, depending on your location, insurance and clinic – Medicare, however, does cover the cost of a scan once every 24 months if you happen to meet their criteria.11
Indirect Costs and Non-Medical Expenses During Menopause
Alternative Treatment Options
Alternative treatment options can often complement traditional medical solutions or support better results in regard to symptom management for some menopausal women. However, they can get expensive, too. A 2016 study found that women who received acupuncture, for example, had nearly 37% fewer hot flashes.12 Still, with average prices ranging between $60 and $150 per session, depending on the location and if the practitioner takes insurance, the cost for this type of alternative treatment can add up.13
Enlisting the Help of Life Coaches and Mental Health Professionals
Incorporating the help of a life coach may enable you to better manage stress, set personal goals, and improve your relationships14 during menopause. However, the services of these professionals come at a cost of $150 for an hour-long session.15
There are also the costs related to managing mental health to consider – as many women find it’s not uncommon to experience changes in their mental health during menopause. Trained mental health professionals can help you better manage depressed or anxious moods, mood swings, sleep issues, body image, and a range of other issues you may face during the menopausal transition.16 The cost of enlisting the help of these professionals is not insignificant, but it is worth it. You can expect to pay between $100 and $250 for in-person counseling sessions, depending on the duration of the session, type of specialist, location, and if they accept insurance.17
The Potential Cost of Not Managing Menopause Symptoms
It’s important to consider not only the money you're spending on menopause symptom management, but also what you could potentially lose if you choose to not effectively manage your symptoms. Mayo Clinic Research suggests missed workdays due to disruptive menopause symptoms cost the country $1.8 billion each year.18 This figure doesn't include reduced productivity, which would see this total climb even higher. Without any regulations or requirements compelling businesses to accommodate their menopausal employees, some women find they may need to take unpaid leave to manage especially severe symptoms.19
Insurance and Out-of-Pocket Expenses
Health insurance may offset some of the costs you'll incur when managing your menopause symptoms, but coverage often varies among policies. You'll likely have to pay some out-of-pocket expenses, including co-pays and deductibles, along with fees for items that are not covered at all. Understanding what your policy covers along with its exclusions can help you better prepare for managing these expenses.
Flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts, both available through employer insurance plans, can help you allocate pre-tax dollars to pay for menopause-related expenses that aren't covered by your main health insurance policy.
Tips for Managing the Financial Burden of Menopause Care
Managing the financial burden of menopause and its symptoms can be challenging, but considering some of these tips may help: 20, 21, 22
- Look for generic medications and over-the-counter alternatives to name-brand prescription drugs – and consult with your healthcare provider to ensure these alternatives are a good fit for you20
- Explore community health resources and support groups to see how others are effectively managing their symptoms
- Talk to your healthcare provider about the most cost-effective options for symptom management (prescription or otherwise)
- Try to incorporate more holistic, healthy lifestyle changes such as eating more nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and practicing stress management techniques to reduce your symptoms, as a first step
From appointments with healthcare providers to exploring hormone replacement therapy, prescription medications, diagnostic tests, and alternative solutions, the costs associated with menopause care can quickly add up. Being proactive and educating yourself about menopause care costs can help you budget effectively for this transitional period and enable you to better prioritize solutions to support your quality of life.
Be sure to seek support and resources if the financial, physical, and mental burden of managing menopause is taking its toll. There are always resources out there to get you through.
Resources
- https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/menopause/what-menopause
- https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/menopause/what-menopause
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/perimenopause-rocky-road-to-menopause
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21608-perimenopause
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37206677/
- https://www.debt.org/medical/doctor-visit-costs/
- https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/estrogen-replacement/hrt-cost
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353401
- https://www.healthline.com/health/medicare/does-medicare-cover-blood-tests
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4623874/
- https://www.healthline.com/health/osteoporosis/bone-scan-for-osteoporosis
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/310527
- https://www.healthline.com/health/acupuncture-how-does-it-work-scientifically
- https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-life-coach-4129726
- https://www.choosingtherapy.com/life-coaching/
- https://www.apa.org/monitor/2023/09/easing-transition-into-menopause
- https://www.healthline.com/health/how-much-does-therapy-cost-a-deep-dive-into-prices
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S002561962300112X
- https://theconversation.com/millions-of-women-are-working-during-menopause-but-us-law-isnt-clear-on-employees-rights-or-employers-obligations-206354
- https://time.com/5564526/how-to-save-money-on-prescription-drugs/
- https://www.webmd.com/health-insurance/ss/slideshow-money-saving-tips-drug-costs
- https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-minute-lifestyle-changes-to-manage-menopause-symptoms/
