Family Planning

Family planning encompasses a broad spectrum of considerations and support systems designed to help individuals and couples navigate the complexities of starting and growing a family. Modern family structures vary widely, including opposite-sex couples, same-sex couples, and single parents. Effective family planning support must address these diverse needs and offer comprehensive coverage that includes fertility healthcare, adoption, surrogacy, pregnancy and postpartum support, and more. Coverage areas should include:

• Planning and Fertility: Preservation, intrauterine insemination (IUI), and in vitro fertilization (IVF).
• Adoption: Financial and logistical support for adoption fees, legal assistance, and counseling.
• Surrogacy: Coverage for surrogacy-related medical costs, legal fees, and donor options.
• Pregnancy and Postpartum: Comprehensive care from conception through post-birth recovery.
• Parenting and Return to Work: Resources to support new parents reentering the workforce.
• Hormone Therapy: Support for health changes related to perimenopause, menopause, and low testosterone, including symptom management and treatment options.

Identifying Needs, Issues, and Pain Points

Employer Perspective:

• Employers aim to offer inclusive, modern, and effective fertility healthcare benefits to remain competitive. This includes coverage for IVF, IUI, adoption, and surrogacy, as well as options for egg freezing beyond medical necessity.
• Creating a safe, supportive workplace culture is crucial. Employees need to feel comfortable discussing family planning needs without fear of stigma or discrimination.

Employee Perspective:

• Employees seek comprehensive coverage for infertility treatments due to the high costs and emotional toll involved. Personalized care is highly valued.
• The sensitivity around family planning discussions necessitates a supportive workplace culture.
• Mental health support is vital, given the emotional challenges of fertility treatments.
• Political and legislative changes impacting access to IVF, abortion, and other women’s healthcare services are a concern.

Overarching Concerns:

• Continuous support from conception to postpartum is essential.
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives must include family planning to boost employee engagement.

Industry Trends and Information

Family planning support is increasingly popular among employers, driven by the need to care for employees and remain competitive. Large employers are particularly interested in standalone family planning support vendors that offer personalized healthcare teams and digital components for tracking and resources.

Trends to Note:

• Health Care Benefits as a Top Priority: Health care remains the highest-ranked benefit category, with 88% of employers identifying it as "very important" or "extremely important." Key features include nearly universal dental (99%) and vision (96%) coverage, as well as widespread telehealth (91%) and mental health (90%) benefits, which are becoming standard offerings.
• Increased Attention to Menopause and Gender-Affirming Care: For the first time, 17% of employers reported offering menopause-related benefits, and 12% provide gender-affirming hormone therapy. These new offerings reflect a growing focus on meeting the needs of diverse workforce demographics.
• The Rising Prevalence of On-Site Lactation Rooms: Spurred by federal legislation, 73% of employers now offer on-site lactation rooms, a 19-percentage-point increase from the previous year, highlighting increased support for working parents.
• Growing Emphasis on Family Planning Benefits: Nearly all firms view well-being programs as critical, with 76% planning to offer reproductive or family planning benefits in 2024—a number expected to rise to 86% by 2025, underscoring the increasing importance of supporting diverse family-building needs.

Recommendations, Best Practices, and Considerations

To offer effective family planning benefits, employers should consider the following:

1. Evaluate Coordination with Medical Plans:

• Options include replacing or wrapping around current coverage with a bundled support model or a cycle model.

1. Utilize Experienced Partners:

• Collaborate with partners like Carrot, Maven, and Progyny for global family planning support.
• Ensure compliance with COBRA and tax regulations, as some benefits may be taxable.
• Coordinate with pharmacy benefits for efficient support.

1. Remove Barriers:

• Eliminate the requirement for a medical infertility diagnosis to access IVF or surrogacy benefits. Work with legal counsel to ensure compliance.

1. Assess Leave Policies:

• Ensure that leave policies support family planning benefits. This includes parental leave, adoption and bonding time, and caregiver support.

1. Support Women Returning to Work:

• Provide resources for parent coaching, special needs support, and lactation support.
• Consider backup childcare funds and resources.
• Offer menopause support and financial well-being resources for women.

6. Mental Health
   • Providing resources and even standalone programs that help support those who are in the family planning phase of their life.

Next Steps for Employers:

• Develop a comprehensive family planning benefits package that includes support from conception through postpartum.
• Foster a workplace culture that is inclusive and supportive of all family planning needs.
• Stay informed about industry trends and continuously evaluate and update benefits to meet employee needs.

Conclusion

Inclusive and comprehensive family planning benefits are essential for modern workplaces aiming to attract and retain top talent. By addressing the diverse needs of employees and offering robust support systems, employers can create a supportive environment that fosters employee well-being and engagement.

References

1. Business Group on Health and Fidelity Investments. (2023). Employers Remain Committed to Well-being Investments, Despite Rising Health Care Costs. Retrieved from businessgrouphealth.org
2. Society for Human Resource Management. (2024). Employee Benefits Survey. Retrieved from shrm.org
3. Mercer. (2024). Health and Benefit Strategies. Retrieved from mercer.com
4. MMA EHB Trends. (2024). Trends and Data on Family Planning Benefits.

Additional Resources:

1. Manulife. (2023). The Importance of Gender-Affirming Care in the Workplace.
2. Progyny. (2023). Fertility Benefits & Insurance.
3. Carrot. (2023). Family Planning Benefits. Retrieved from get-carrot.com
4. Maven Clinic. (2023). The Next Generation of Care for Women and Families.