Closing the Gender Gap: Are Group Health Plans Addressing Women’s Health Needs?

In 2024, women’s health is gaining greater attention in the UK, but do current group health insurance policies adequately address these needs? While significant progress has been made in recent years, there are still notable gaps, particularly around maternity, menopause, and other gender-specific health concerns. This has sparked a debate on whether group health plans are truly evolving to close the gender gap and provide the comprehensive support women need.

Maternity and Reproductive Health

Maternity cover is a crucial aspect of group health insurance, yet policies often fall short in offering comprehensive support. While many plans cover routine maternity care, fertility treatments, and antenatal appointments, they frequently cap the level of cover, leaving some women facing out-of-pocket expenses. According to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), one in seven couples in the UK struggle with infertility, yet fertility treatments like IVF are often only partially covered, if at all. Beyond maternity, coverage for conditions such as endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is inconsistent, with many policies offering only limited options for specialist care.

Progress has been made, however. Group health plans increasingly include coverage for a wider range of reproductive health services, from fertility consultations to postnatal mental health support. Insurers are recognising the value of comprehensive maternity benefits as part of employee wellbeing strategies, especially as the Women and Equalities Committee recently called for employers to enhance parental and family-related benefits.

Menopause Support: A Missed Opportunity?

With an estimated 3.5 million women over 50 in the UK workforce, menopause is a significant workplace issue that has been historically underrepresented in health insurance policies. Many women experience symptoms that can affect their work, yet traditional group health plans often overlook menopause-specific support. This gap can result in missed workdays or, in some cases, women leaving the workforce altogether. A recent report by the Fawcett Society found that nearly a third of women surveyed had taken time off work due to menopause symptoms.

In response, some insurers are beginning to include menopause-specific services in group policies, such as access to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) consultations, specialist clinics, and mental health support. The growing inclusion of menopause care in insurance offerings reflects an important shift towards recognising the full spectrum of women's health needs, yet there is still a long way to go to ensure adequate coverage across the board.

Beyond the Basics: Addressing Gender-Specific Conditions

Comprehensive women's health coverage extends beyond maternity and menopause. Conditions like breast cancer, osteoporosis, and autoimmune diseases disproportionately affect women and may not receive sufficient coverage under standard group health plans. With breast cancer being the most common cancer in the UK, affecting approximately 55,000 women each year according to Breast Cancer Now, early detection and comprehensive treatment options are critical. Group health policies that offer only basic cancer cover may not address the specific needs of women, such as reconstruction surgery or genetic testing for hereditary cancers.

Gender-specific mental health concerns also deserve attention, as research shows that women are nearly twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with anxiety disorders. While many group plans now include general mental health support, coverage for gender-specific issues like postnatal depression is often limited, despite its significant impact on women’s wellbeing and productivity.

What Needs to Change?

To genuinely close the gender gap in group health insurance, employers and insurers need to ensure that policies provide more than just minimal coverage for women’s health. Comprehensive maternity packages, inclusive menopause support, and expanded cover for gender-specific conditions should be standard. Employers who go beyond the basics not only enhance their health offerings but also support female employee retention and productivity.

Insurers must continue to evolve their policies by offering flexible benefits that cater to the different stages of a woman’s life. This may involve providing access to a broader network of specialists, expanding mental health services to address specific concerns like postnatal depression, and including menopause care as a core benefit rather than an optional add-on.

The Benefits of Inclusive Coverage

Addressing women's health comprehensively isn't just the right thing to do—it makes business sense. Companies that prioritise inclusive health benefits are likely to see reduced absenteeism, increased employee engagement, and stronger staff retention. Research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) shows that 56% of employers who offer enhanced health benefits reported a positive impact on employee wellbeing and productivity.

As group health insurance continues to evolve, employers have an opportunity to lead the way in closing the gender gap by partnering with brokers who understand the importance of tailored, inclusive health plans. At Ascend Health, we are committed to helping businesses craft policies that meet the diverse needs of their workforce, ensuring that women’s health is a priority.

Other blogs which may be of interest:

How employee health insurance ties into business continuity planning

Understanding the taxation of group medical insurance in 2024

Any questions? Please don’t hesitate to contact one of our team.

Kristian.Breeze@ascendhealth.co.uk | Office: 01245 929129

Kristian Breeze - Healthcare Director

Sources:

- Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)

- Women and Equalities Committee

- Fawcett Society 

- Breast Cancer Now

- Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)