The recent wave of tech layoffs, along with budget cuts due to inflationary pressures, has put employers and employees on edge as both talent and
The fear isn't unfounded: tech giant Twitter, which recently laid off over 5,000 workers, cut its fertility benefit offerings in half, reducing coverage from $80,000 to $40,000, according to emails seen by Insider. And while the popularity of fertility benefits has steadily increased in the last few years, benefits leaders and employees alike may be wondering if this trend will continue.
"We've seen explosive growth in the coverage of these benefits by employers, with benefits getting larger and broader," says Dr. Roger Shedlin, CEO of WINFertility, a family-building benefits provider. "What happens if this goes away?"
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For many, fertility benefits are the deciding factor in whether they can afford to grow their families. In a majority of states, fertility care is considered an "elective surgery," meaning insurers are not required to offer coverage. One round of in vitro fertilization, including ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval and embryo transfer, can cost between $15,000 to $30,000, with most patients undergoing three or more rounds.
Dr. Timothy Hickman, medical director and co-founder of reproductive health clinic CCRM Fertility Houston, underlines how American families live in a precarious system — ultimately, the state where a patient lives and their employer are what decides their access to affordable fertility care.
"For whatever reason, insurance companies have decided to say infertility is elective, but if you talk to a fertility specialist, they know it's a disease like any other disease," says Dr. Hickman. "The danger is that many people will not have the opportunity to have children if they need these types of services."
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Employers have largely stepped in to fill those gaps. But even then, fertility care benefits are mistakenly seen as separate from
"We want increased educations and careers, which is good," he says. "But if you wait until your mid-30s, one-third of individuals will not be able to have a child naturally, and if you wait until 40, two-thirds will need help."
Dr. Shedlin notes that fertility benefits sit at the intersection of healthcare and DEI, helping women and LGBTQ-identifying employees build their families when they feel ready. To go backwards and eliminate a benefit that supports entire families' well-beings would be ill-advised, he says.
"You want an employee focused on the job," says Dr. Shedlin. "By offering the right family-building benefit, employees and their dependents can do just that."
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Dr. Shedlin advises employers to structure a benefit that allows for continuity of care, even if changes are made to the overall dollar amount employees can use, or if they're laid off. This means the benefit should include clinical guidance and education on the patient's fertility journey — not just money. If coverage is lost, an employee should at least be able to complete any ongoing treatment and get help on their next steps toward having a child.
Despite anxiety surrounding layoffs this year, WINFertilty has not spoken to any clients considering reducing their fertility benefits, highlights Dr. Shedlin. He is confident fertility benefits will continue to become a standard employer benefit.
Dr. Hickman is even hopeful that more states will mandate fertility care coverage — 20 states have passed laws around fertility coverage, with 14 states including IVF treatment coverage and 12 states including fertility preservation treatments for those who have become infertile after a medical procedure like chemotherapy.
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"If you're in a state like Texas, insurers are mandated to offer [IVF coverage]," says Dr. Hickman. "In 20 years, I have seen a change. When I first got to Houston, maybe 10% of patients came to our office with coverage. Now it's about 50% of patients who come through our doors with some type of IVF coverage."
As for employers who are still on the fence about including or expanding fertility benefits, Dr. Shedlin encourages them to consider the retention value this benefit brings: If an employee's ability to have a family is made possible through an employer, then an employee is far more likely to stay rather than continue looking for whatever employer offers the best paycheck.
"If the pandemic showed us anything, it's the importance of family," he says. "The simple fact is fertility benefits provide a good return on investments for the employer."
