Having employees spread out all over the world can be complicated. Every country has different rules, regulations, and customs, and all of those can have an impact on benefits offerings. And fertility care, adoption, and gestational carrier arrangements (commonly referred to as surrogacy) are complex and evolving every day.
So how can a company stay on top of countless local regulations, customs, standards of care, and more but still offer their employees a valuable benefit? By working with a global fertility solution who can manage the load for them. Here are a few of the things a global fertility partner can help you navigate.
Reduce administrative burden while increasing benefits parity
While some benefits understandably have to change from country to country, employers are increasingly working to ensure they have geographic parity where possible. When adding fertility care to your benefits offerings, working with the right global partner can cut down on administrative work on your end while also ensuring that your employees are getting access to the best in-country care — no matter where in the world they’re located.
Public & private insurance coverage
In some countries, the vast majority of the population relies on the public healthcare system; in others, private insurance is more common. In Singapore, for example, your employees may qualify for coverage of some fertility services through the public healthcare system. However, the health system varies for every country and even at state, provincial, or prefecture levels within a country. Determining how to account for an employee’s financial needs in relation to the local health system is a key step in tailoring international benefits, and a strong global partner can work with individual members to help them understand their specific situation.
The myriad of laws & regulations
In the last six months alone, France’s lower house of parliament voted on a proposal to legalize IVF for same-sex female couples and single women, the Irish government has announced funding to support some infertility services, the Hungarian government has taken over a handful of fertility clinics, and a woman in China has sued to challenge the country’s laws limiting egg freezing to married couples. And whether or not your company currently has offices in France, Ireland, Hungary, or China, chances are, the countries you’re in have laws evolving just as quickly.
While some countries allow access to fertility preservation, IVF, or adoption for all people, others constrain access based on age, citizenship, marital status, or sexual orientation. Similarly, gestational carrier services (commonly known as surrogacy), while being embraced by more prospective parents than ever before, are subject to constantly evolving local laws, regulations, and cultural shifts that are complex to navigate. The right partner has the infrastructure in place to follow these changes, learn the nuances, and properly educate individuals about their options — and include coverage for services beyond fertility like legal care.
Cultural considerations around fertility care
It isn’t only established laws that can be complicated when it comes to navigating fertility care worldwide. Cultural preferences, norms, and unwritten rules vary tremendously from place to place, and simply identifying those can be a monumental task. For example — while some countries allow single women to undergo IVF or IUI in hopes of becoming a single mother, there may be limited clinics that offer the services due to cultural sensitivities. Similarly, it may be legal for LGBTQ+ couples to adopt a child, but in some locations, they may then struggle to find an agency to work with them. A truly global partner understands both the written and unwritten rules of fertility care, adoption, and gestational carrier services and can help your employees get the care and services they need.
Fluency with cross-border concerns
Beyond local laws and attitudes, fertility situations have the possibility to become even more complicated with a global workforce. For example, if an employee had her eggs frozen while residing in Australia but is now choosing to undergo IVF in the United States, there are a number of things to consider — not just laws in both countries, but also long-distance transportation options and identifying providers who will work with eggs retrieved elsewhere. At Carrot, we’ve helped our members through situations like this and more; the right global fertility partner will be well-equipped to navigate complex cross-border issues.
As a complete global fertility solution for employers, Carrot delivers fertility coverage to employees in over 50 countries around the world. Benefits leaders trust Carrot to enable global workforces to access fertility treatments — a critical component of health coverage — in a way that is safe, reliable, and comprehensive.
Ready to learn more about Carrot? Get in touch today.
