While breakthrough innovations have transformed employer-sponsored benefits in areas like mental health,
Men represent half the workforce, yet remain one of the least engaged populations in
This is not a knowledge gap. It's a system-design failure. And it's costing employees and employers alike.
Men's health needs a systemic redesign
In a recent peer-reviewed study published by
These are not pilot concepts — they're validated, scalable care models delivering real-world impact in men's health.
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Here's what the study found:
- Increase access: Virtual, discreet care led by men's health urologists significantly increases access by reducing delays and reaching underserved populations. Sixty-two percent of U.S. counties have no urologist. When healthcare is built with men in mind, stigma decreases and engagement rises.
- Better patient experience: Convenience, confidentiality, and timely care enhance the patient experience, addressing a critical gap, as 55% of men do not receive preventive care each year, leading to better follow-through and stronger health outcomes.
- Better provider experience: Structured digital platforms reduce provider burnout and improve workflow by enabling smarter, more connected care delivery.
- Improve outcome: Earlier detection, fewer complications, and more personalized treatment plans lead to improved clinical results and long-term health.
- Cost-savings: Early intervention and integrated care pathways lower costs by up to 69%, creating a more efficient and sustainable care model.
- Clinical directions: Virtual care, combined with home diagnostics and AI-driven decision support, improves detection, risk stratification and overall outcomes.
This is more than a new care model, it represents a scalable blueprint for transforming how the healthcare system engages and supports men's health. By designing care that is structured, intentional, and data-driven, we can finally meet the needs of an underserved population — while fulfilling the full potential of the Quadruple Aim.
Men's health: The missing category in workforce benefits
Today, over 150 million Americans receive health insurance through their employer. However, for many men, that coverage doesn't translate into care. This is primarily due to the fact that there are no clearly defined benefit pathways, no set screenings, and no culturally attuned outreach. Instead, men are left to navigate a maze of fragmented specialties, often reactive and siloed.
Over the past decade, we've watched women's health become a well-designed category in workforce benefits, and rightly so. Employers recognized the upside: better engagement, earlier intervention, improved outcomes and ROI.
It's time we do the same for men.
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Why this needs to change now
Men delay care at a higher rate than any other demographic. They are more likely to present late in the disease trajectory, are less inclined to seek support and frequently endure their condition in silence. What we are observing is not a cultural anomaly, it is a structural defect.
The outcomes are quantifiable:
- In the past decade, there has been a 40% increase in the number of late-stage prostate cancer diagnoses.
- Hormonal and sexual health disorders that are not properly diagnosed and have an impact on mood, vitality and sleep
- Infertility trends in the absence of structured benefit support
- Undiagnosed chronic conditions result in high-cost claims and avoidable emergency room visits.
Employers observe the consequences in the form of employee disengagement, absenteeism, disability claims, and productivity loss. What is the solution? Do not attempt to fill in any gaps. Define the category.
Even a former U.S. president's delayed prostate cancer diagnosis underscored a critical truth: Current screening guidelines are not always enough. Without more accessible, proactive, and personalized screening protocols, even the most high-profile individuals can go undiagnosed for far too long.
The fix isn't to patch the system, it's to define the category.
Defining a men's health benefit strategy
What does it look like to treat men's health as a core benefit?
- Proactive screening for sexual, reproductive, hormonal and prostate health
- Virtual access to urologists and men's health specialists in all 50 states
- Treatment pathways utilize at-home diagnostics.
- Tracking outcomes to enhance engagement and minimize future expenses
- Inclusive design for all male-identifying individuals, including trans and non-binary individuals with male-specific organs
These core benefits represent a model for delivering structured, accessible care — one that can be adopted broadly to address longstanding gaps in men's health.
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A strategic imperative for employers
This isn't just a matter of individual well-being, it's part of a broader strategy to strengthen workforce health and long-term sustainability. Many employers have already made meaningful strides by expanding access to musculoskeletal care, mental health services and fertility benefits. Integrating men's health is a natural and necessary next step. It's not about adding one more initiative, it's about completing the picture and ensuring that all employees have access to the care they need. Supporting men's health isn't a luxury. It's fundamental.
The moment is now
Men's health is not a side issue. It's a systemic blind spot.
Prostate cancer has recently returned to the national conversation. But this isn't about awareness, it's about architecture.
The opportunity in front of us is not to fill a gap, but to define a category, one that serves the whole workforce, supports families, and drives measurable outcomes.
Men's health is workforce health. It's family health, it's financial health, and it's business health.
