Helping union members navigate uncertainty in women's healthcare

Stacey Hofert, Group Vice President of Labor and Trust, and Andrea Stelk, Vice President of Commercial Solutions, for Progyny joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss women and fertility healthcare for union members. They discussed the unknowns around the future of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and reproductive rights. They also shared how Progyny has supported family members through the family-building process and then successfully returning to work.

There has been much uncertainty surrounding women’s health and reproductive rights, and Hofert discussed what Progyny is doing to assist union health funds navigate the process. She talked about the need to support health and welfare funds and educate them on the changes that could come to regulations for women’s healthcare and how these changes could impact their members. Hofert said that states are beginning to mandate coverage that could help families with IVF and fertility treatments. Only 23 states require coverage for fertility treatments, and 15 require IVF coverage, so there is still work to be done, she said.

Support throughout the family-building process doesn’t stop when a child is born. Stelk and Hofert discussed how Progyny helps union members return to the workforce. Stelk said that return-to-work support starts before conception by ensuring there are no care gaps through the process that could negatively impact a woman’s ability to return. Hofert provided additional information on how this type of care and support is critical to women in the trades. 

Finally, Hofert explained how a complete care program for women is crucial to recruiting more women to the trades. She talked about how effective women’s and fertility healthcare is in building a family-sustaining workforce that the trades encourage. Over the past five years, Progyny surveyed over 1,400 union members who have experienced infertility. In the survey, 82 percent of members were more attracted to an organization with fertility and family benefits, Hofert said. 

Listen to the show above to hear more about Progyny’s work in women and fertility healthcare.