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The U.S. Health Care System Fails Women. Employers Need to Step In

For too long, the U.S. health care system has failed to meet the needs of women. This is ironic considering that women are the chief medical officers in most American households.


Women in the U.S. have more chronic illness, more issues paying their medical bills, and are among the least likely to report having a regular primary care physician compared to women in other high-income countries. Moreover, until 1993, women were not even required to be part of drug trials, which meant that medical research often ignored the unique health needs and responses of half the population. Black women in particular suffer the brunt of these systemic failings, being three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than their white counterparts.

Working at a women’s health benefits company, I have witnessed the challenges that women face within this flawed system. Tens of thousands of women have come to us struggling to understand why they were never informed about common conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis, or that perimenopause can start as early as their 30s. This highlights a fundamental flaw in our health care system—women’s health is often treated in silos and addressed reactively rather than proactively. This has to change.

The solution starts with employers. Employers have the power to significantly influence the health and wellbeing of their employees. The health care system may be slow to change, but employers can act now by providing female-forward benefits and policies like comprehensive fertility care, childcare support, pregnancy loss leave, flexible working arrangements, menopause support, and paid parental leave. By implementing such policies, employers can ensure that the women in their workforce have access to the care they need without the added financial burden.

In a world where men are paid more, working women in the U.S. are estimated to pay $15 billion more each year on health care costs than their male counterparts, due to factors such as gender bias in medical research, costs associated with women’s reproductive health needs, and a higher rate of misdiagnoses. While employers are required to provide health care insurance premiums at an equal cost to both men and women, this does not reflect the actual cost disparities, which further exacerbates the gender pay gap. By offering benefits that specifically address women’s health needs, employers can help bridge this gap and promote gender equity in the workplace.

Read the whole article here.

Autor: Pete Anevski   Quelle: time.com (07.08.2024 - LW)