Oct 30, 2017
By: ASRM
Origin: ASRM Press Release
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE’S 2017 SCIENTIFIC CONGRESS & EXPO
San Antonio, TX- Recruiting and retaining high quality staff is of vital interest to employers. One key to doing so successfully might be ensuring their health insurance plans include offering treatment for infertility.
In research released at the 2017 American Society for Reproductive Medicine Scientific Congress, investigators found that people with employer-provided health insurance coverage that included infertility and specifically in vitro fertilization (IVF) expressed higher satisfaction with their employers across a range of factors. They were more likely to recommend their employer to a friend and took less time off work than infertility patients whose employers did not provide coverage.
The researchers surveyed over 700 women who had undergone IVF. They found that 57% had some form of insurance for some part of either diagnosis or treatment, but of those with insurance 47% reported it paid less than half the cost of an IVF cycle. They found that employees with coverage had higher rates of feeling their employer had a family friendly workplace, cared about their wellbeing, and provided benefits that met the needs of today’s families than those whose employers did not provide coverage. Employees with coverage also reported taking less time off for their infertility treatments than those who did not have coverage.
“This study reinforces our view that infertility should be covered is the same manner as every other disease. We have long understood the benefits to patients of coverage; this study begins to demonstrate the benefits to employers as well,” said Richard J. Paulson MD, President of ASRM.