Infertility is becoming a more approachable subject—so much so that employers have noticed and are taking action to support the health and wellness of their workforce. And it’s about time. Having someone who can help you be your own advocate when facing a challenging health scenario is the key to happy, healthy, and productive employees. And that’s where we come in.
We are experienced in helping patients diagnosed with serious illness, including reproductive health, miscarriage, or high-risk pregnancy. Since 2011, we have grown to 6.2 million employee benefit members worldwide; however, in select markets, we have also assisted individual patients with infertility, IVF, and surrogacy through our concierge service.
Take a couple we’ll call Kacey and Rob, who we recently worked with on an individual case basis: We helped them venture down the path of IVF and facilitated every step of their journey. They successfully became pregnant, but unexpectedly, at 32 weeks, their son was born at only 25 weeks of gestation. His organs were not fully developed, and he went to the NICU right after birth.
Improving Health Outcomes
The newborn's condition continued to deteriorate, leaving Kacey and Rob beyond devastated. They were at the best hospital in their local area, but the doctors there had never dealt with such a complex case. That’s when the parents turned to us. We jumped into action, contacting our hospital partner—a top children’s hospital—that had successfully handled many other cases of premature babies in critical care. We quickly provided the couple with an expert medical opinion and a recommended treatment plan. Then, at Kacey and Rob’s request, we assisted with the newborn’s transfer to that children’s hospital, where he received the treatment he needed to survive—and thrive. Today, this child is a healthy toddler about to celebrate his second birthday with his whole future ahead of him.
By helping patients like Kacey, Rob, and their son, we identified something that was missing in traditional fertility benefits: an expert resource for sudden medical complications. At all points on the fertility journey—whether planning, conception, pregnancy, or post-delivery healthcare—patients need quick, virtual access to a leading expert for the best health outcomes for them and their child. We are filling this gap in the world of employee benefits to continue our mission of helping people when they need it most.
Meet Prodigy Fertility
This week, MORE Health announced the launch of Prodigy Fertility as an employee benefit. We have also expanded our fertility concierge services to the U.S. and all other global markets. Services include video consultations, egg and sperm freezing, IVF, egg and sperm donation, a gestational carrier program (surrogacy), and birth tourism.
Unlike other offerings, Prodigy Fertility by MORE Health provides a virtual second opinion from a world-leading expert if you experience medical complications during your fertility journey. All these offerings include white-glove Fertility Case Management navigation.
We understand that infertility can feel paralyzing and all-consuming. Once you’re finally on the path to having a child, whether naturally or through IVF or gestational carrier, no one wants anything to go wrong—but it can. Each situation is unique, and so is its impact, but no matter the scenario, you never have to handle it alone.
There is a growing demand for fertility benefits
Companies are looking for inclusive benefits for a diverse workforce that can also attract and retain top talent. According to a survey from The National Infertility Association, a whopping 77% of employees would stay at their company for fertility benefits—and 88% would consider changing jobs to access them. Those aren’t the only eye-opening statistics. In addition:
- The average age of first-time mothers is increasing.
- 1 in 5 couples aged 30 or older experience infertility.
- 1 in 2 LGBTQ couples are starting families.
- 20% to 30% of pregnancies are considered high-risk.
A new study by Mercer revealed that 61% of employers with 500+ employees have some sort of infertility coverage. These offerings vary drastically. Some companies will provide employees a designated monetary amount they can spend on fertility services annually or as a lifetime benefit. Others specify the types of services they want to offer, such as egg freezing, artificial insemination, or a designated number of IVF rounds. Some companies even offer unlimited fertility services because they see the value in this type of benefit.
One might think that adding benefits of this magnitude would increase medical spending, but it’s quite the opposite
- Pre-term births cost employers more than $12 billion annually in addition to their medical spending.
- The cost of claims increased 37% from 2018 to 2021, according to Sun Life’s most recent annual report analyzing stop-loss claims data and medical trends. Complications around newborn/infant care were among the most frequent million-dollar+ claims in 2021, driven almost entirely by medical spending, not pharmacy costs.
- When factoring in maternal costs, March of Dimes reported that employers and their employees pay $58,917 more when a baby is born prematurely.
The bottom line is that it is essential to incorporate cost-containment strategies to reduce and control medical spending. Adding benefits that save money on healthcare costs while promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is a win-win for employers and their team members. Employers who don’t put fertility benefits on the table not only spend more but also lose $3.8 million in productivity each year per 10,000 employees.
There is no “one-size-fits-all” when it comes to benefits for a diverse workforce. Still, MORE Health is harnessing innovative medical technologies to bring fresh, creative solutions to the table for employer groups of all sizes. Contact our team today if your company would like to learn more about our unique platform and benefit options.
