Login Join us
Benefits Strategy

Taking Action on Women's Health: A Business Group Viewpoint

A strategic overview of the unique health care needs of women and key focus areas for employers.

November 14, 2024

Introduction

Women spend about 25% more time in poor health compared to men, and much of this health burden occurs during their working years.1 This has a direct impact on productivity and leads to increased health care costs for employers, as untreated or poorly managed conditions often result in more severe health issues over time.2 Addressing these disparities must be a priority for employers. To accomplish this goal, employers should implement a targeted approach that focuses on prevention; equitable access to care; and comprehensive support for all women.  

Historically, medical research has largely focused on male subjects, leading to gaps in understanding and the undertreatment of female-specific health issues. Recent efforts to include more women in studies, however, are helping to close these gaps. This shift is crucial as it informs more tailored approaches to diagnosis and treatment.

Supporting Women's Broad and Unique Needs

Fertility issues affect one in six people of reproductive age globally, but comprehensive support can help alleviate the emotional and financial burden on employees.3 Menopause significantly affects most women, impacting both physical and mental health, yet many do not discuss their symptoms with health care providers.4 Additionally, women face a wide range of health issues, such as autoimmune diseases, obesity, cardiovascular conditions and mental health disorders, many of which are more prevalent or severe than those experienced by men. 5 For example, nearly 80% of individuals diagnosed with autoimmune diseases are women5, a disparity that highlights the need for benefits that meet the specific needs of women. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women worldwide,6 yet it is still underestimated by 56% of women as their primary health threat,7 demonstrating a critical gap in awareness and management of cardiovascular health. 

Employers can address women’s health needs and close the aforementioned gaps by offering health plans that include coverage for a broad spectrum of women's health services. In addition to employer-driven initiatives, it is essential for health plans and providers to offer comprehensive and concordant care that recognizes and addresses the unique and nuanced needs of women, ensuring that treatment plans are effectively tailored to their specific conditions and symptoms.  

Addressing Maternal Mortality

The U.S. has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among developed countries, with Black women  three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than White women, underscoring the need for targeted employer intervention.8  Additionally, over one- third of U.S. counties are classified as maternity care deserts—areas lacking birthing facilities or obstetric clinicians—where women face a 13% higher risk of preterm birth.9 The 2025 Employer Health Care Strategy Survey shows that identifying high-risk pregnancies continues to be a priority, with 37% of employers integrating this type of service into their maternity programs to promote the health of mothers and infants, particularly those from underrepresented populations. Doula and midwife support can significantly improve outcomes by reducing the incidence of interventions and increasing the likelihood of a positive birth experience.   

Supporting Caregiving Needs

Women are often the primary caregivers in their families, a role that significantly affects their physical, mental and financial health.10 This responsibility includes not only caring for children but also supporting aging parents and others. Caregiving has a profound effect on labor market participation – during the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 113 million women were out of the workforce due to caregiving responsibilities.11 This issue isn't confined to temporary crises; it's a persistent concern impacting many working women.  Globally, many developed countries seek to support new mothers, often with policies addressing maternity leave and postnatal care. Countries like the United Kingdom, Mexico and Canada offer varying lengths of paid maternity leave, generally compensating between 55% to 100% of earnings.12 Notably, the Netherlands provides in-home support from a maternity nurse to help new mothers in the first days after childbirth, ensuring that both mother and child are healthy and well-adjusted. 

Flexible work policies can ease the challenge of competing priorities between work and caregiving. For example, a survey revealed that a significant majority of previously out-of-work caregivers returned to employment primarily because their new roles offered the necessary flexibility and acknowledgment of their caregiving responsibilities.13 By developing explicit strategies to employ and support caregivers, companies can positively impact retention and productivity, along with tapping into a skilled and ready-to-work demographic.

Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being

Women are more likely than men to experience conditions such as depression, anxiety and burnout—issues that are exacerbated by the stress of balancing work and caregiving responsibilities and may also be impacted by hormonal changes throughout life.14 In addition, women  are  more susceptible to developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following trauma, and specific conditions like postpartum depression affect one in seven women within the first year after childbirth.15 To address this issue, according to the 2025 Employer Health Care Strategy Survey, 47% of employers have expanded coverage for postpartum depression, with a potential increase of an additional 22% in the next 3 years. These findings highlight employers’ ongoing commitment to mental health challenges during and after childbirth.  

Additionally, neurodivergent women often face unique challenges due to underdiagnosis, which can result in inadequate medical care and worsened health outcomes, including chronic pain, cardiovascular issues and mental health disorders like anxiety and depression.16-18 Addressing these challenges is critical so that all women can thrive.

Key Areas of Focus for a Successful Strategy

As employers continue to address the diverse needs of their workforce, they should consider taking the following actions as part of their strategy.

  • Enhance communication and education on women’s health
    • Promote preventive care and early detection programs and work with your partners to encourage employees to participate in regular health screenings.
    • Partner with providers and health plans to ensure that their communications are concordant with the unique and expansive needs of women across their lifetimes and across many conditions – some chronic and some situational based on life phase.
    • Empower women with the knowledge they need to advocate for themselves in medical settings.
  • Provide comprehensive and culturally competent care
    • Analyze your data to identify what support your population actually needs and what gaps in care exist. Establish partnerships with provider networks or high-performance networks who specialize in culturally competent care to ensure that women of all backgrounds and locations receive appropriate and effective treatment.
    • Ensure that health plans and vendor partners cover a wide range of mental health services, including therapy, counseling and digital mental health tools.
    • Offer care addressing both the physical and emotional health needs of pregnant people and new mothers, including doula and midwife support. Provide access to specialized mental health care that recognizes the unique needs of mothers during and after pregnancy.
    • Leverage health plans, vendor partners and/or a captive insurance model, where appropriate, to offer coverage for fertility treatments, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), egg freezing and genetic counseling. Enable access to fertility coaches or counselors who can guide employees through the complex and often emotionally taxing process of fertility treatments.
    • Implement health benefits and well-being initiatives specifically designed to meet the unique needs of transgender women.
    • Conduct regular evaluations to understand where there are differences in care across countries. Use this information to develop minimum standards that align with best practices and local needs.
    • Work with employee resource groups (ERGs) to support women by fostering environments where they can discuss their health concerns and receive peer support.
  • Enable flexibility in work schedules
    • Provide flexibility for employees to address health care needs, including workplace accommodation as needed.
    • Provide employees with paid time off (PTO) to support caregiving needs.
    • Provide access to caregiving service providers, offering resources to find support for loved ones, such as in-home care, eldercare consultation and caregiver respite programs.
    • Consider phased return-to-work programs and extended flexibility in schedule and work location to ease the transition of those returning to work.

    Conclusion

    Implementing robust and targeted strategies can positively impact women’s health, leading to improved productivity, lower health care costs and a more engaged and satisfied workforce. Employers who invest in comprehensive health benefits are better positioned to attract and retain top talent, foster a positive workplace culture and contribute to the overall well-being of their employees.


    Related Resources

More Topics

Resource icon_right_chevron_dark Benefits Communication icon_right_chevron_dark Preventive Services icon_right_chevron_dark
More in Benefits Strategy

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. Introduction
  2. Supporting Women's Broad and Unique Needs
  3. Addressing Maternal Mortality
  4. Supporting Caregiving Needs
  5. Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being
  6. Key Areas of Focus for a Successful Strategy
  7. Conclusion