'This program can be accessible to all of our plan sponsors and accessible for those who might have some cost pressures,' says Manulife Group Benefits' head of product
As Canadian women fall through the cracks in both benefits plans and the health care system, some benefits providers are teaming up with virtual health services to ensure strong and continued coverage among plan members.
One such partnership is between Manulife and Maven Clinic, a women’s and family digital health clinic. Jennifer Foubert, head of product for Manulife Group Benefits is adamant the partnership addresses a firm commitment to ensure a gap in need for members around health, education and navigation.
“It runs the continuum across many of life's major stages, spanning fertility, family building and planning, maternity and newborn care, parenting and pediatrics, as well as menopause and midlife health,” she explained.
Beginning this fall, eligible Manulife group benefits members and their dependents will gain access to Maven’s 24/7 virtual care platform. Unlike other telehealth platforms, the program is built specifically to support women and families through aforementioned life events. Foubert underscored it’s a strategic move to meet a longstanding demand in the employee benefits space.
The partnership with Maven is also meant to address a missing link in existing offerings. While Manulife already provides financial support for fertility, adoption, and surrogacy through its Family Growth solutions, Foubert said what had ultimately been lacking was navigation support - guidance to help members manage complex health journeys beyond just financial coverage.
The Maven partnership fills that void by offering 24/7 virtual access to specialists, care advocates who guide members through each stage, personalized care plans, and clinically validated resources.
It also helps members prepare for medical appointments and provides broader wraparound services. Foubert pointed to critical moments like maternity leave - where 95 per cent of Canadian mothers report receiving no employer support, according to Manulife's 2021 survey - and menopause as life stages where this type of help is most urgently needed.
She called the findings “deeply concerning” and highlighted how she believes Maven’s maternity and newborn program is helping to shift that reality by reducing unnecessary ER visits by 31 per cent and achieving a 94 per cent return-to-work rate post-leave.
Maven is designed to complement existing coverage by offering the navigation and continuous support that had been missing, said Foubert.
“What we have been missing is that navigation support,” she said. “For sponsors who are offering available lifetime maximum benefits, this will augment. For sponsors who presently are not making the current programs available, this really gives an opportunity for a sponsor to engage in adding more robust coverage for their members, but it also represents an opportunity for more cost certainty in terms of the design of this plan.”
She also emphasized the program’s financial structure, a “per employee per month model” which offers plan sponsors a more predictable cost model.
“We find it helpful for sponsors who are looking for that cost certainty versus some of the other programs, when they're experienced based. A sponsor can sometimes deal with variability in terms of cost based on utilization,” she noted.
“That's our goal: to ensure that this program can be accessible to all of our plan sponsors and accessible for those who might have some cost pressures as well.”
Foubert also raised concerns about how menopause is impacting the workforce. Highlighting data from the Menopause Foundation of Canada, she noted that unmanaged symptoms in women aged 40 to 55 are costing the Canadian economy $3.5 billion annually and forcing one in 10 women to leave the workforce at a pivotal point in their careers.
Manulife conducted a thorough review of virtual health options before selecting Maven Clinic as a partner, ultimately drawn to the platform’s broad scope and user-centric design, noted Foubert. The appeal went beyond clinical features as Manulife was particularly interested in how Maven supports non-medical needs through education, one-on-one care navigation, and culturally responsive service.
“They have over 30 different types of specialists that can support for non-medical needs,” Foubert explained, pointing to care advocates who build personalized plans and connect users to a wider community of content and support.
Representation was also a deciding factor. With services offered in more than 35 languages and 40 per cent of Maven’s clinical staff identifying as BIPOC, Foubert emphasized the value of cultural relevance in care delivery.
Manulife was also influenced by data on outcomes. In fertility and family building, Foubert noted that roughly 30 per cent of users trying to conceive did so naturally through the platform, avoiding costly or invasive interventions. She also pointed to health gains during menopause, including significant reductions in hot flashes, anxiety, and sleep issues, metrics that aligned with Manulife’s goal to improve access and outcomes for members navigating complex life stages.
“We’re not just responding to gaps in women’s and family health, but we’re seeking to really redefine what comprehensive support can look like during these key transitions, like family planning and menopause,” she said.
Foubert acknowledged that Manulife’s decision to prioritize women’s health reflects growing demand from both plan sponsors and members, adding that while the focus is on improving outcomes for women, the support extends to all members, where approximately 43 per cent of the program members identify as male, pointing to fertility and family-building as one area where broader family health needs are addressed.
“By providing comprehensive health care coverage, employers can help women manage their health challenges and reduce absenteeism and disability,” she said. “This is an opportunity for employers to evolve their benefits coverage to meet the needs of today’s workforce.”
