AT&T is broadening its collaboration with Maven Clinic, a leading provider in virtual women’s and family health care, to include fertility and family-building advantages for its workforce. Since 2021, AT&T has been offering support for postpartum care and pregnancy/newborn care via Maven, enabling employees to have virtual consultations with obstetricians and lactation experts, along with facilitating the shipping of breast milk for those travelling to work, as shared by Victoria DeCarmine, AT&T’s corporate communications director.
From the start of January, AT&T’s initiative has grown to encompass virtual consultations on reproductive options like egg freezing, IVF, adoption, and surrogacy for its 125,000 employees. This is in addition to covering fertility treatments such as intrauterine insemination and in-vitro fertilisation under its medical plans since 2018. The aim is to offer comprehensive support, including emotional guidance, throughout the various stages of employees’ family-building paths.
Stacey Marx, who oversees global benefits at AT&T, expressed pride in the company’s enhanced partnership with Maven, highlighting the personalised support available to employees regardless of their location or stage in their family-building journey.
Despite the popularity of family-friendly benefits, fertility services are less commonly provided by employers. A survey by Mercer revealed that while 70% of employers offered paid family leave in 2023, only 19% had fertility coverage separate from their health plans. In response to the growing demand for specific reproductive benefits, employers have been exploring “point solutions” for targeted care, according to Isha Vij, Maven’s VP of employer growth. However, recent trends indicate a shift towards vendors that offer a broader spectrum of reproductive care, covering stages from pre-conception to menopause.
A Maven survey found that 38% of HR and benefits professionals consider consolidating their benefits vendors to provide more comprehensive services, while 32% reevaluate benefits with low engagement or adoption rates. The changing landscape, marked by rising healthcare costs and the underuse of specialized benefits, prompts employers to reexamine their benefits strategies to more effectively meet the holistic needs of their employees throughout their reproductive health journeys.
