Menopause at work: the solutions often already exist in your plan

Only 13% of women aged 35 to 60 say their employer offers adequate hormonal health or menopause benefits. Meanwhile, the industry is moving fast.

What's happening in the industry?

• GreenShield recently opened its menopause care program to all Canadians, insured or not.
• Manulife reports a 228% increase in five years in hormone therapy claims among women aged 45 to 54.
• Unmanaged symptoms cost the Canadian economy more than $3.5 billion a year.

Where is the real gap?

Having worked at the insurer and the provider, and co-founded a clinic network, here's my takeaway: the solutions often already exist, sometimes in your current plan. The real gap is that employees don't know where to go, and managers don't know what to say.

What should you do before adding a new program?

1. Check what your plan already covers. Drugs, consultations, virtual care: part of the answer is often already paid for.
2. Ask your insurer what it now offers in hormonal health. The offer is changing fast, and it isn't always communicated to employers.
3. Equip your managers to talk about it. A well-handled conversation is often worth more than a new program.

Does your organization have an approach to menopause?

First published on LinkedIn