We all know that parental leave, health insurance, prescription drug and dental coverage, vision care and even daycare subsidiaries are table stakes. At first glance, these broadly focused areas seem to cover the physical needs of employees and their families. But with advancements in healthcare technology and pharmaceuticals, it has become increasingly clear that all-encompassing benefit plans are not as flexible as needed to support modern families.
Tweaks in benefit design are necessary to accommodate individuals whose desire to have children involves decisions that place them outside the typical nuclear family. Traditional alternative pathways to starting a family, such as adoption, feature standardized insurance coverage for expenses. However, other pathways, such as surrogacy and fertility treatments, are offered to a lesser extent.
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As of last year, 42% of global employees considered not having fertility benefits to be a dealbreaker in accepting a job, highlighting the importance for organizations to take notice if they want to attract and retain a larger segment of this growing part of the workforce.
Family benefits can dovetail into diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. As many as
From fertility treatments and increased adoption to perinatal support, family benefits are rightfully commanding more of a spotlight along the landscape of emerging employee benefit trends.
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A large portion of estimated IVF treatment costs is allocated to the drugs needed to prepare the reproductive system for fertilization. Notably, fertility drugs are not commonly covered by standard private pharmaceutical plans. Therefore, there is an increasing demand to look at fertility benefits as a whole, separate from existing health coverage and government subsidiary offerings.
Adoption and surrogacy are additional avenues explored by couples who want to start families. While often more economical than fertility treatment plans, these pathways are not without their hurdles and stressors for families. Necessary resources and financial support can be facilitated through benefit programs offering agency selection services, surrogate matching and agreements, and emotional-support resources.
Many third-party benefit programs offer educational videos, prenatal classes and screening tests, genetic advisers and one-on-one nursing support, which can be accessed virtually. Other traditional plans are extending to offer non-medical surrogacy fees, adoption fees, family coaching, sex therapists, nutritionists, midwives, doulas, family counselors, baby safety equipment and perinatal bereavement support. By offering these services through online platforms where possible, they are more accessible for employees and families, and designed to fit seamlessly into existing benefit plans.
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Increasingly employers are recognizing the importance of allowing individuals the necessary time off to deal with the emotional and physical impact of starting a family. Extended leave coverage has transcended paid maternity leave to be gender-neutral and cover instances of miscarriage and failed surrogacy, adoption or fertility treatments, as was the case with Mintz law firm in 2023.
Online-based family planning services are extending support for the perinatal period. Benefits such as certified coaches to support navigating family planning, pregnancy, postpartum periods and access to specialized resources such as sleep experts, lactation consultants and pelvic floor physiotherapy are becoming more common as well.
Implementation of flexible and desirable employee benefit plans is only one side of the coin. The reverse is educating employees and facilitating easy-to-access mechanisms for obtaining benefits and knowing coverage limits. The implementation of digital platforms with 24/7 accessibility and help centers with digestible information on benefit coverage helps to spearhead these initiatives.
Telehealth coverage has emerged as a convenient solution for families, especially for those with young children. The way we seek non-emergent care since the pandemic has created the perfect opportunity for virtual care solutions to fill a gap for families. Twenty-four hour availability to physical and mental health consultations via encrypted text and video chat with medical professionals who can diagnose, advise, and prescribe treatment plans and pharmaceuticals has become the way of the future. These platforms are designed to be integrated into existing employee benefit service offerings.
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Others have emerged with a specialized pediatric focus, which helps support families in need of urgent consultations for their children with everything from diagnostic services and prescriptions to specialist referrals when necessary. The convenience of these services for families is unmatched, and the myriad of options available for employers to integrate into their benefit service offerings position technological services as a forward-thinking solution that we will likely see continue to gain prominence.
The changing landscape of family benefits coverage in North America has emerged with an increasing focus on fertility coverage, adoption and surrogacy support and perinatal coverage through both paid time off and other resources. Additionally, telehealth platforms are continuously advancing and specializing their service offerings to support families on an ongoing basis. Access to resources that connect families with trained experts through the family planning process is increasingly favoring online technology to facilitate more accessible treatment plans. Supporting modern families requires employers to consider and provide more accessible, flexible and personalized family benefit plans.
