Working together to support women’s health

Products and solutions

For working women, a group benefits plan can play an important role in supporting health. While your plan already provides important coverage, there may be some gaps.

Filling some or all these gaps can help ensure the women in your workplace feel supported and therefore, can be productive. It can also help you attract and retain a valuable segment of your workforce.

Here are some solutions that can help you better support women’s health across various life stages.

Your Extended Health Care (EHC) already provides broad-based health supports. But there may be ways to expand coverage to better support women’s health. Here are some actions to consider.

Add coverage for pharmacogenomics testing. Women experience 75% of adverse drugs reactions in Canada. A simple test can identify the optimal drug for each individual based on their genetic makeup, thus reducing treatment time and shortening disability leaves.

Add coverage for a registered dietician. Pregnant people experiencing gestational diabetes could benefit from a registered dietician. The dietician can help determine lifestyle changes to naturally improve health outcomes, potentially limiting reliance on insulin therapy.

Add coverage for incontinence supplies. Urinary incontinence issues can occur before and after childbirth, or after the hormonal changes of menopause. Consider adding EHC coverage for incontinence supplies if it’s not already part of your plan.

Ensure plan maximums for paramedical providers is high enough. Paramedical providers like chiropractors, osteopaths and physiotherapists (primarily pelvic floor specialists) can help women feel more comfortable during pregnancy, prepare for birth and support post-partum recovery. With this in mind, it’s important to review your plan maximums to ensure they’re sufficient for these treatments.

Confirm coverage for menopause hormone therapy (MHT). Hormone therapies, such as estrogen and progestogen, are a common treatment to significantly alleviate menopausal symptoms. It also can improve bone density, reduce cholesterol and the risk of diabetes. New research shows that MHT can also help improve mental health. Check if your benefits plan covers menopause hormone therapy and if the maximums are sufficient.

Provide supports for family building. Coverage for fertility procedures, such as in-vitro fertilization or artificial insemination, isn’t standard on most benefits plans. While there could be public coverage available, it may not be sufficient and can be hard to access. Sun Life offers an optional Fertility Services benefit with maximums up to $30,000 and coverage for alternative family building support, such as surrogacy. In addition, standard maximums for fertility drugs typically aren’t comprehensive enough. Check your coverage and consider lifetime maximums of $5,000 - $7,500.

Canadian population data shows women have a 1.7 times higher prevalence of depression.12 There can be many reasons for this, including both societal and physiological factors. These might include the strain of multiple caregiving roles and reproductive health experiences, such as perimenopause.

2022 Statistics Canada data showed that 22% of women were in need of mental health care. This compared to 14% of men. Equal proportions of women and men (4 out of 10) reported they did not receive the care they needed.13

Here are solutions available to your group benefits plan:

1. Mental health treatment coverage plan maximums

The Canadian Psychological Association recommends a standalone annual coverage maximum of between $3,500 to $4,000. This amount provides coverage for 15-20 sessions. This is the number of sessions required to achieve a therapeutic outcome for people suffering from depression or anxiety.

By eliminating the financial barrier to treatment, employers can help reduce absences, lower disability rates, and shorten disability duration.

2. Mental Health Coach

The Mental Health Coach, provided by Kii Health, takes a personalized and proactive approach to mental health. The program engages employees who are at-risk of mental health related absences and prompts them to access care before their symptoms worsen.

Employees work with a licensed health care practitioner to create a personalized action plan. This includes focused recommendations for accessing care, whether through the group benefits plan, employer or public health resources.

3. Integrated, holistic care

We offer a virtual care suite of services, provided by Dialogue. With one app, employees can access virtual Primary Care, a Stress Management and Well-being (SM&WB) program and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). This means that health professionals can treat employee health, both mental and physical, holistically. It also means continuity of care, with employees able to move more seamlessly from one support to another.

With SM&WB, employees complete a brief online assessment. They can then connect within minutes to a mental health specialist. The specialist then matches the employee to the practitioner most suited to their situation. The employee has unlimited therapy sessions until remission, at no cost to them.

4. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) support

CBT is becoming a more common, alternative approach to hormone therapy during the menopause transition. While it doesn’t alleviate physical symptoms, it improves the patient’s mental approach to coping with symptoms when they occur. Mental health professionals are generally the ones who provide CBT. However, internet-based CBT has also proven to be effective. Our Sun Life EAP includes short-term sessions for mental health concerns, plus online CBT available at any time.

12 PR Albert. Why is depression more prevalent in women? J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2015 Jul;40(4):219-21. doi: 10.1503/jpn.150205. PMID: 26107348; PMCID: PMC4478054

13 Statistics Canada. Table 13-10-0619-01  Mental health characteristics: Perceived need for mental health care

Spending accounts are a great way to offer flexible benefits that can support specific elements of women’s health. They can also keep your costs low and predictable.

You may already offer spending accounts as part of your workplace benefits. If so, your actions may be as simple as communicating these options to your plan members. Check out the Communication section for tips.

Spending accounts can help cover a wide range of health and well-being expenses. And anyone who is financially dependent on the plan member can make use of spending accounts. This can include parents, grandchildren, siblings, and nieces or nephews. This can alleviate some of the financial burden of caregiving for women. Check out Sun Life’s spending account products here.

Health Spending Accounts (HSA)

HSAs typically cover health-related expenses.

  • Portions of expenses not covered by a health benefits plan such as deductibles, coinsurances or amounts over plan maximums.
  • Premiums for health benefits.
  • Drugs or other preparations when prescribed by a qualified medical practitioner.
  • Medical devices, supplies or equipment when prescribed by a qualified medical practitioner, such as breast pumps.
  • Diagnostic screening, laboratory or radiological procedures when prescribed by a qualified medical practitioner.
  • Midwives, birthing centres and pre-or-post-natal treatment.

Personal Spending Accounts (PSA)

PSAs typically cover wellness-related expenses. For women’s health specifically, these include:

  • menstrual products,
  • ovulation test kits,
  • doulas, pre-natal vitamins and herbal remedies, pregnancy literature, and pregnancy pillows,
  • post-partum wellness supports like post-partum rehab workouts, parenting courses, childcare, and parent-and-baby fitness classes,
  • food delivery services, and
  • baby safety equipment.

PSAs can also provide coverage for alternative menopause treatments, such as:

  • soy or plant-based estrogen,
  • wild yam cream or progesterone cream,
  • black cohosh or dong quai, and
  • personal cooling devices such as fans, neck fans, cooling neck wraps and cooling scarves.

In addition, a healthy lifestyle and weight management can be important to improving fertility. Exercise programs and supplies, as well as natural supplements are eligible under our PSA.

The Menopause Foundation of Canada estimates that unmanaged symptoms of menopause cost the Canadian economy $3.5 billion per year.14 The good news is that employers have options to help women manage their symptoms and live healthier lives. 

Dedicated menopause support is available through Lumino Health Virtual Care, by Dialogue15. This allows plan members to access menopause support through all phases of the menopause transition. The support is provided by Dialogue’s Nurse Practitioners, Medical Doctors,16 Registered Nurses and Mental Health specialists17 who have received additional training on how to guide those going through their menopause journey. 

Plan members get:

  • A virtual consultation with a Nurse Practitioner or Medical Doctor.16
  • A personalized care plan, including symptom management.
  • Prescriptions for Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT) or non-hormonal treatment, if appropriate.
  • Proactive follow-ups to monitor progress.
  • Coaching and navigation support.
  • Educational resources developed by a multidisciplinary team of clinical experts.

Share this menopause education guide with employees.

Closing the menopause knowledge gap

 

14 The Menopause Foundation of Canada, Menopause and Work in Canada, 2023.

15 Dialogue is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada operating as a stand-alone entity. All representations about the services of Lumino Health Virtual Care, by Dialogue are those of Dialogue, Inc. and not Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada. Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada cannot guarantee the availability of the services and reserves the right to cancel the services with notice.

16 As permitted in each province. Dialogue and its practitioners abide by all federal and provincial regulations that apply to telemedicine.

17 Plan members with Lumino Health Virtual Care coverage have access to one mental health session.

 

We offer guided support to help address women’s health risks in the workplace through our Organizational Health team.

Turn your data into action to increase support for women's health in your organization. We can help you identify gaps, implement solutions and educate your workplace about women’s health needs and resources.

The program is flexible and consists of four elements.18 Choose all four or select those that fit your organization's needs.

1. Data insights report

We’ll set the stage by highlighting the impact of women’s health on the workplace. Next, using your organization’s available claims data,19 we’ll identify the health risks unique to the women in your organization. We’ll use these insights to identify areas of opportunity and how you can provide additional support.

2. Organizational Health Consulting

Based in part on our data insights report, we’ll help you formulate a strategic roadmap and customized action plan to address women’s health concerns in your workplace.

3. People leader webinar

An Organizational Health Consultant facilitates a session for people leaders in your organization, highlighting the impact of women’s health on the workplace, providing tips for creating a supportive environment, and promoting resources for women’s health.

4. Employee educational webinars

At your request, we’ll connect you with medical experts to lead education sessions that help employees learn about women’s health topics that may be of particular concern or interest to your organization.

For information about how our Organizational Health team can help you reach your workplace health goals, visit Organizational Health Consulting

18 Program elements may vary by organization based on available data.

19 Data presented is subject to data privacy rules and requirements. Minimum claims volumes must be met to share certain information, including diagnostic data.

The burden of caregiving falls disproportionately on working-age women. In our 2024 research with Ipsos, a majority of women (85%) felt they still bear a greater burden of household and childcare responsibilities than men. Women are 50% more likely to report being caregivers than men. Women are also more likely to leave employment due to the demands and strain of their caregiving role.20

“Women are often in the roles of caregivers and their health takes a back seat
to the health of their families. It is important to focus on individual health and
health sustainability. More education and services specific to woman are necessary”
– Sun Life research participant, 2024

Employers can help with supports. These might include flexible work arrangements to reduce the time and scheduling stress on employee caregivers. Employers might also provide additional paid personal days that employees could use for their caregiving responsibilities or for self-care. Our Bright Paper – Supporting the supporters – has more information about supporting employees with caregiving roles in your organization.

 

20 C.A.R.P. and Sun Life, national survey of C.A.R.P. members, June 2021

Many larger organizations recognize the issue of women’s health in the workplace and have created champions and/or supports groups. Such groups or champions can ensure there is ongoing communication about the supports available to women. They can also reduce “silent suffering” by creating a community where women can share ideas and experiences