BIP Summer 2025

While presenting about menopause wellness to a regional energy company, Goulmamine witnessed the power of open conversation firsthand. After giving a talk to the company’s women’s health employee resource group, she says, “There were people who had never spoken up in that setting before who were suddenly eager to share their experiences.” One woman, she recalls, had struggled in silence for years, not realizing her symptoms were related to menopause. “She told us after the session that it was the first time she’d felt comfortable acknowledging what she was going through,” Goulmamine says. “That moment of connection made her feel less alone — and more committed to staying in a workplace that clearly cared.” The Equity Gap: Who Gets Help and Who Doesn’t Not all employees experience menopause the same way — and not all receive the same care. Studies show that Black women tend to enter menopause earlier and experience more intense symptoms, yet they are less likely to receive treatment, especially hormone therapy.

“There’s a documented sleep gap,” says Glover. “African American women are already sleeping less than their white counterparts. Add night sweats and insomnia to the mix, and it’s debilitating.” Cultural and medical biases further widen the gap. “Black women are offered hormone therapy less often,” Glover adds. “And when they do seek help, their symptoms are more likely to be minimized.” Brokers at the Front Lines of Change While structural inequities run deep, benefit advisors are in a unique position to close the gaps. “We are translators,” says NABIP’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Chair Tony DeRico. “Clients trust us to explain what co-pays and deductibles mean. That trust can extend to educating employers on inclusive benefit design.” That includes reviewing plan offerings for coverage of hormone therapy, mental health care, pelvic health and telehealth options. It also means advocating for employee assistance programs and educational resources.

100% of women will go FAST through menopause if they live long enough UP TO 10 YEARS: Duration of perimenopause symptoms 2 IN 5 women considered finding or found a new job due to menopause women worldwide quit the workforce entirely due to menopause $150B/YEAR Estimated global cost of menopause-related productivity loss symptoms 1 IN 10

FACTS

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