According to our vitality research, 15% of American adults aspire to have children in the next five years. However, with infertility affecting 1 in 6 people worldwide, a large proportion of prospective mothers and fathers experience significant emotional distress related to their inability to conceive. They also face the financial burden associated with fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF). When employees are hoping to start or grow their families, these issues can lessen their focus and productivity on the job.

Employers are in a unique position to help address these challenges by offering benefits that cover fertility treatments as well as services to support surrogacy and adoption. “Offering a range of family building benefits helps ensure employees have the support they need, regardless of their path to parenthood,” said Stacie Lukasiak, vice president, medical and behavioral solutions, U.S. Employer, Cigna Healthcare.

To help employers do this, Cigna Healthcare recently partnered with women’s health and family building solutions provider Progyny to offer a robust family building benefit to employer clients. Through Progyny’s Smart Cycle design, employers can simplify coverage by designing benefits and managing costs based on fertility cycles, and selecting from among a fully integrated suite of services. With a commitment to leading outcomes, Progyny exceeds national benchmarks including its average of just 2.1 retrievals per live birth, and a single embryo transfer rate that is 22% better than the national average. This benefit includes expanded fertility coverage and navigation support from pre-conception planning to postpartum care, plus options for doula, surrogacy, and adoption services, available with Progyny Care Advocate support.

For eligible globally mobile customers and their covered spouses/partners, the Global Health Benefits (GHB) business of Cigna Healthcare’s International Health division offers a solution powered by Carrot Fertility to provide personalized support, education, and guidance for those navigating fertility, family-building, and hormonal health journeys, with plans to expand eligibility this fall. This first-in-market integrated solution combines digital-first engagement with cross-border care so eligible customers can make informed health decisions regardless of their location. (These services are not available for customers on domestic U.S. Employer plans.)

Cigna Healthcare also continues its limited partnership with WinFertility to offer a range of fertility benefit options for clients designed to meet their workforce needs at a wide range of budgets.

Family building benefits help attract and retain top talent

Offering benefits that help employees build their families is also advantageous to employers. For example, the availability of family building benefits is a key factor in employee retention and loyalty. Research has found that 61% of employees who received fertility coverage from their work felt more committed to their employers.  Conversely, 70% of millennial workers said they would change jobs based on family-planning benefits.

“These benefits show that employees struggling with infertility are being seen and supported in the workplace,” Lukasiak said. “Knowing their employer cares about their situation and well-being can boost both morale and job satisfaction, further enhancing an employee’s commitment and productivity.”

These benefits also have the potential to help improve workers’ health by enhancing emotional well-being. Research shows that people experiencing infertility can have  anxiety and depression levels similar to those who have cancer or heart disease.

“It’s paramount that employers support whole-person health and vitality, including being there for their employees in the moments that matter such as building a family,” said Wendy Sherry, CEO, Global Health Benefits, Cigna Healthcare. “Prioritizing family building and other inclusive benefits is a strategic investment for driving engagement, innovation, and sustainable growth.”

Easing the financial and emotional toll of family building

Researching and navigating fertility treatments, adoption, and surrogacy can be emotionally taxing and overwhelming. Family building benefits can significantly reduce stress and anxiety by connecting prospective parents to the care and providers that best meet their needs. Benefits that include navigation services go one step further by guiding people through every step of the process.

The expenses associated with fertility treatments are considerable for those who do not have benefit coverage. The cost of a single IVF cycle can exceed $20,000. The cost of surrogacy can range from $60,000 to over $150,000, while private adoptions cost up to $45,000. Family building benefits can help alleviate these expenses, along with the associated stress and anxiety.

Despite the high costs of these treatments and services, many employers find that the financial burden of offering family building benefits is minimal. For example, a 2021 survey on fertility benefits showed that 97% of employers offering infertility treatment did not experience a significant increase in their medical costs.

Support beyond conception

In addition to family building benefits, Lukasiak suggests employers provide ongoing family support. For example, employer clients of Cigna Healthcare can offer the Cigna Healthy Pregnancies, Healthy Babies Program, which provides holistic clinical support to families during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Employers can also consider maternity and family medical leave, lactation support, childcare services, mental health services, and flexible scheduling that enables working parents to take care of urgent family matters.

“More and more employees are looking for companies that offer benefits and policies that help them manage their family responsibilities,” Lukasiak said. “Such organizations can gain a competitive edge in attracting and retaining top talent.”

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