Fertility support is a differentiator in workplace benefits
It’s a challenge many employees face that’s often overlooked but increasingly essential: fertility support. Fertility challenges impact 1 in 6 people worldwide and 1 in 8 couples in the U.S.1 That means right now, some of your colleagues are likely navigating this difficult journey — often in silence.
Pregnancy and childbirth costs are a well-established component of health care planning. But fertility treatment is fast becoming another crucial piece of the employee benefits puzzle. With improved technology and reduced stigma around these treatments, more employees are seeking help, and they're looking to their employers for support.
What does fertility support look like?
Supporting employees through fertility challenges goes beyond basic insurance coverage. It requires a comprehensive approach that addresses clinical, emotional and financial needs.
Clinical support means ensuring access to high-quality services that provide robust, personalized treatments. Accurate diagnoses and tailored treatment plans minimize both time and money while maximizing the chances of success. This might include fertility medications like Clomid, injectable hormones, surgical procedures, or reproductive assistance like IVF and IUI.
Fertility treatment is truly a collaborative effort. Couples will likely consult with OB-GYNs, endocrinologists, reproductive specialists and other medical professionals throughout their journey. Health plan options directly impact access to these critical services, so network limitations might affect employees.
Mental health support is equally crucial because the fertility journey can be emotionally devastating. High stress, anxiety and depression are common experiences for both men and women facing infertility. Beyond basic insurance coverage, employers can consider offering on-demand virtual mental health support, online support groups or mindfulness platforms to help employees manage stress and find community.
Financial support addresses one of the biggest stressors in the fertility journey — money. Treatments are expensive and complicated to navigate. Finding the right services, accessing them at the right time, and managing complex insurance and outof-pocket payments can be overwhelming. Offering resources for financial planning, cost management and benefits navigation can significantly reduce this burden.
Virtual fertility benefits offer a modern solution
Today's workforce is more diverse and distributed than ever. Employees are often across multiple locations with different insurance plans and varying state regulations. Virtual fertility benefits offer an effective, scalable solution to overcome these challenges.
Virtual clinics provide convenient, discreet and accessible care. Instead of waiting months for appointments, employees can access quick, effective consultations and athome testing. These services are available nationwide, eliminating excessive travel, and they offer the discretion many people need when dealing with sensitive health issues.
The business case is clear
Fertility benefits aren't just nice to have. They're becoming essential for attracting and retaining top talent. Over 80 percent of top-ranked workplaces offer fertility care reimbursement, and studies show employees are 1.5 times more likely to recommend their employer when fertility benefits are available.1
These benefits signal something important to employers. Comprehensive, meaningful support that meets employees where they’re at in life can be the difference in building an exceptional workforce.
Securian Financial offers support through BenefitBump
Offering BenefitBump to employees helps support them along their parenthood journey. Services through BenefitBump are available with Securian Financial’s hospital indemnity product. This service provides holistic support to help navigate benefits and time-off programs as employees grow their family. It provides support at every step — from pregnancy or adoption to delivery or placement, parental leave, child care, return to work and more.