Dive Brief:
- Fertility is now part of the benefits landscape with the formation of an alliance between a large HR/benefits consultant and a fertility provider, according to Employee Benefits News.
- EBN says the partnership, between Mercer and Progyny, is an example of the "convergence of healthcare cost-containment strategies and talent management" involving a very specific workforce demographic group.
- According to EBN, Mercer will provide employers and their workers with Progyny’s SMART (Science and Member-Driven Assisted Reproductive Technology) fertility benefit product suite. Besides expanded fertility options and better outcomes, the alliance also expects to cut high-risk maternity-related claims for employers.
Dive Insight:
David Kaplan, M.D., leader of Mercer Health Innovation LABS, says the company believes it's important to help clients have the right benefit design as well as the right providers to deliver the benefits. EBN points out that fertility benefits do affect a very specific employee group, but fertility benefits are gaining interest.
Fertility assistance could prove an "invaluable" benefit to affected employees, as well as serve as a way to retain talent, Kaplan said. Employers are committed to helping families have healthy families, he says, adding that for some families, it can be much more difficult.
This additional benefit may reflect increased attention by employers to general work/life balance and particular attention to the issues of parent employees.
