Healthcare insiders and industry observers have become preoccupied over the past year with bedside applications for artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies. And rightly so. They’re revolutionizing not only patient care, but also elevating operational efficiencies that will reduce costs and improve clinical outcomes.
In witnessing these breathtaking developments, it’s easy to overlook key trends involving humans and not machines. One of them involves mounting interest in fertility treatments at a time when the definition of family has undergone massive change, though it also is being powered by advances in medical science.
Contemporary households reflect the evolving tapestry of society, embracing the diversity of same-sex partnerships, single parenthood, and professional women choosing to embark on parenthood later in life through various paths, such as fertility treatments, adoption or surrogacy. While still very common, the conventional notion of a uniform nuclear family, characterized by a smiling heterosexual couple with 2 children, a dog and a white picket fence, has gracefully yielded to a more inclusive and varied understanding of family structures.
A universal desire
The desire to have children and journey to parenthood is a deeply personal and sometimes complex expedition that transcends all backgrounds. Parents and families now come in all shapes and sizes, irrespective of whether someone is partnered up, single, straight, gay, lesbian, transgender, nonbinary, or otherwise. As a result, more medical practitioners are lining up to handle the growing demand for safe and affordable fertility care for all.
These changes are also evident across the American workplace where crying babies, barking dogs and a harried work-life balance that were once on full display during video conference calls are hot topics of post-pandemic water-cooler discussions. Co-workers finally had a chance to learn more about one another in isolation and stay connected through the rise of remote work arrangements, and there’s no looking back.
Employers have followed suit, albeit out of necessity. With the U.S. labor market more competitive than any time in recent memory, organizations are looking for creative approaches to building a high-performance workforce. That includes the healthcare field, which is in dire need of preventing burn out of valuable frontline employees and improving morale.
Recognizing workforce diversity
One winning formula for burnishing talent management has been incorporating affordable family-forming programs into employee benefit packages. Rather than serving as a checkbox approach by management to please a certain segment of the workforce, it serves as a commitment to fostering a workplace where virtually anyone can embark on the transformative journey of building a family.
The expanded definition of family also aligns seamlessly with the growing emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, shining a spotlight on health equity issues in the process. A compelling argument can be made for building a diverse workplace, which a growing body of research suggests is good for business.
Understanding that family-forming benefits extend beyond fertility treatments and encompasses the diverse phases of life that individuals experience is crucial. Menopause, a natural transition that many women undergo, is another critical aspect of reproductive health that requires attention and support. By recognizing the importance of menopause benefits alongside fertility treatments, employers can truly embrace a holistic approach to family-forming benefit programs. Just as with fertility care, providing resources, education and support for women navigating menopause can contribute to a more inclusive and caring workplace. A comprehensive family-forming strategy acknowledges that employees’ needs evolve over time, ensuring that organizations remain supportive at every stage of their journey, from parenthood to menopause and beyond.
Today, there are many options for building LGBTQ+ families, including assisted reproductive technology (ART). In addition to ART, they include home testing; genetic screening; pre-pregnancy counseling; donor sperm, eggs and embryos; in vitro fertilization (IVF); egg freezing; surrogacy and adoption. With so many safe fertility treatments available now, the dream of parenthood is achievable for everyone.
Easing financial pressures
The trick, however, is making them accessible and affordable to the public at large. Financial pressures are a major impediment to the dream of parenthood for too many working Americans. Along a rocky landscape where roughly one in six people face fertility challenges, it is critical to ensure that the road to reproductive healthcare is a smooth one. Rising out-of-pocket expenses for health insurance has restricted the size of the typical nuclear family for lower-paid and middle-class employees. Many families that live paycheck to paycheck or lack emergency savings are saddled with high deductibles, copays and coinsurance that have made fertility treatments unattainable.
The situation is worse for households that face other health challenges. Consider, for instance, that few U.S. states mandate coverage for fertility preservation in the event of medical procedures that could undermine a woman’s ability to have biological children. Moreover, many of these mandates exempt public insurers – leaving those who are least able to afford the $20,000-plus price tag for fertility preservation to pay out of pocket. $20,000 to $65,000 for IVF, and the cost becomes even more inaccessible.
Building a caring culture
As employers face growing pressure to land top talent, those that embrace the ever-expanding definition of family, not to mention increasing importance of DEI and health equity, will secure a competitive leg up. Offering safe affordable family-forming programs for everyone, including vulnerable or under-served employee populations, represents an opportunity for employers to build a caring culture that also will benefit the bottom line.
HR departments play a major role in helping deliver family-forming solutions that meet the budget and lifestyle of diverse employee populations. It’s not enough, however, just to provide affordable and safe fertility treatment options. Employees who receive these benefits also need comprehensive logistical and emotional support to help their families navigate the complex journey of family-building. For example, dedicated concierge care navigators can discuss programs, financing and logistics, as well as help find a local clinic with successful outcomes.
These robust and personalized benefits aren’t only about redefining family-forming benefits. They’re about transforming lives, one family at a time, and creating more resilient and happy workforces that contribute to business success. Together, we can nurture life’s beginnings and create a future where safe fertility care is not a luxury but a fundamental right for all.
Photo from Flickr user Bradley Gordon
