Findings on Managed Care Reported by Investigators at School of Medicine (American Medical Women’s Association Position Statement On Period Poverty: Advancing Menstrual Equity Through Health Coverage Reform): Managed Care

2026 JUN 01 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Investigators discuss new findings in Managed Care. According to news reporting from St. George’s, Grenada, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “One in four persons with a uterus is unable to afford menstrual products, with even higher prevalence among low-income populations, an unmet need that contributes to preventable infections, missed school and work, and persistent health inequities. Despite the essential role of menstrual products in basic health and hygiene, many public health coverage programs across the United States, including Medicaid and other assistance programs, continue to exclude items such as pads and tampons.”

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from the School of Medicine, “This gap disproportionately harms individuals who already face significant economic and health disparities. Although Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts now permit the use of funds for menstrual products, these mechanisms primarily benefit individuals with stable employment and disposable income, leaving the most vulnerable populations unprotected. Continued exclusion by insurance and assistance programs imposes an unnecessary financial and health burden and undermines dignity and well-being. Federal and state policymakers, including Congress, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and state Medicaid agencies, have clear authority to address this inequity by expanding definitions of ‘durable medical equipment’ and ‘hygiene supplies’ to explicitly include menstrual products and by removing administrative barriers to coverage.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “The American Medical Women’s Association calls for federal action to classify menstrual products as essential health services under Medicaid and other public assistance programs.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: American Medical Women’s Association Position Statement On Period Poverty: Advancing Menstrual Equity Through Health Coverage Reform. Journal of Women’s Health, 2026. Journal of Women’s Health can be contacted at: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc, 140 Huguenot Street, 3RD Fl, New Rochelle, NY 10801, USA. (Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. - www.liebertpub.com; Journal of Women’s Health - http://www.liebertpub.com/overview/journal-of-womens-health/42/)

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Rhea Manohar, St. George Univ, School of Medicine, St. Georges, Grenada. Additional authors for this research include Meghan Etsey, Leah Liszak, Mallory Johnson, Vaishnavi J. Patel, Devki Patel, Ariela L. Marshall, Brianna Clark and Rosy Thachil.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1177/15409996261449999. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

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