The Cost of Menopause: New Survey Highlights Financial Struggles
Key takeaways:
About 1 in 5 women (21%) have delayed or skipped menopause treatment due to financial concerns, and 12% have cut back on essentials just to afford care.
Only 26% of women have full insurance coverage for menopause-related prescriptions, leaving many to rely on discount cards or pay entirely out of pocket.
Cost barriers mean some women forgo hormone therapy — the gold standard for severe symptoms — potentially increasing their risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, and reduced quality of life.
For millions of women, menopause isn’t just a physiological transition — it’s a financial burden.
New data from GoodRx Research reveals that while most women spend less than $50 a month on menopause-related treatments, cost remains a major barrier, leading some to delay care or forgo treatment altogether.
A survey conducted in February, 2025 of 1,500 respondents highlights a stark reality: Nearly 1 in 5 women (21%) have put off or avoided menopause treatment due to financial concerns. And 12% reported having to make financial trade-offs, such as cutting back on other essential expenses, just to afford their care. While menopause is a universal experience, access to treatment is anything but equal.
How women are experiencing and treating menopause
For many women, menopause symptoms aren’t just an inconvenience — they have a significant impact on daily life. The most disruptive symptoms women report include hot flashes and night sweats, affecting 50% of respondents, followed by sleep disturbances at 42%. Weight gain and increased belly fat were reported by 41% of women, while 39% experienced mood changes.
And, despite the availability of treatment options, a strikingly low percentage of women use menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), often considered the gold standard for managing severe symptoms. Only 7.2% of respondents reported using MHT prescription medication, while non-MHT prescription medication use was even lower, at just 3.7%. Supplements were the most common option, with 8.1% relying on non-prescription remedies.
With some women making financial sacrifices just to afford care, the cost of menopause management goes beyond dollars — it affects overall well-being and quality of life.
The price of relief
When it comes to menopause treatment, women turn to a range of options, from prescription medications to over-the-counter (OTC) remedies and dietary supplements:
Prescription medications: When it comes to prescription medications, 76% of women spend less than $50 per month, while nearly 19% pay between $50 and $100. A small but notable share (5.4%) spend over $100.
OTC treatments: For OTC menopause treatments, 84% of women spend less than $50, but 14% spend up to $100 per month.
Supplements: This category sees the widest range of spending, with 23% between $50 and $100 and another 5% spending over $100.
The cost of menopause treatments is an issue for many women. When asked how burdensome the cost of prescription medication is, 41% of women reported at least some level of financial strain, with 21% describing it as “very burdensome.” OTC treatments and supplements fared slightly better, but still, 42% found them at least somewhat difficult to afford.
Insurance gaps leave many paying out of pocket
So why is affordability such a big issue when it comes to menopause treatments? A lack of comprehensive insurance coverage is a key barrier.
Only 26% of women reported that their menopause-related prescriptions were fully covered by insurance, while the majority (60%) had to pay a copay. Alarmingly, 8% said their prescriptions weren’t covered at all. That leaves many turning to alternative payment methods:
16% use a discount card to reduce costs.
14% pay entirely out-of-pocket without any discounts.
Copay cards, often a lifeline for other high-cost prescriptions, appear to be completely absent in this space.
Without robust insurance coverage, even modest monthly costs can add up — especially for women managing multiple prescriptions or long-term treatment plans.
When treatment becomes a luxury
For some, the financial strain is enough to force tough decisions. Among those who have stopped medications, MHT, or supplements, 10% cited cost as the reason. Additionally, 21% have delayed or skipped menopause-related care due to cost concerns.
With MHT often considered the gold standard for managing severe menopause symptoms, these financial barriers could have long-term health consequences. Untreated menopause symptoms have been linked to an increased risk of osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and a decline in overall quality of life.
The fact that some women must choose between relief and financial stability speaks to larger gaps in healthcare affordability — gaps that disproportionately affect women in midlife. With menopause support often sidelined in broader healthcare discussions, these findings add to a growing push for better insurance coverage and access to more affordable treatments.
Methodology
Our survey was run through YouGov from February 22, 2025 to February 28, 2025. Our sample population was adult women experiencing perimenopause or menopause; 1,500 responses were collected and analyzed. Respondents were screened in if they either indicated that they had been told by a doctor or healthcare professional that they were in perimenopause (N=196) or menopause (N=604), or were between the ages of 45 and 54 (N=700).
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