How Hummingbird Expanded Fertility and Mental Health Support with a Group HRA

Hummingbird is a Series B software company on a mission to fight financial crime. Its platform helps compliance teams at banks, credit unions, fintechs, and crypto marketplaces detect and prevent wrongdoing. With around 70 employees—most based in the U.S.—Hummingbird has built a people-first culture that mirrors its larger mission of making the world safer.

“We are very much a people-focused organization,” said Erin McLachlan, who manages recruiting and people operations. “Our founders truly care about the people at Hummingbird, and a benefit like Liferaft has been a great offering for employees—giving them access to mental health and reproductive health resources that they really value.”

The Challenge: Supporting Employees Through Change

In 2022, the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade sparked concerns among employees about reproductive health access. Around the same time, Hummingbird was revamping its overall benefits package to stay competitive in a tight hiring market.

“When Roe v. Wade was overturned, Liferaft allowed us to immediately offer additional support to employees who were concerned about reproductive health options,” Erin recalled. “As a female employee, I really appreciated that.”

The Solution: Group HRA Through Liferaft

To respond to employee needs, Hummingbird introduced a Group Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) through Liferaft.

A Group HRA is a tax-advantaged benefit that works alongside a traditional group health plan. Employers set aside a monthly budget that employees can use on qualified medical expenses—such as mental health therapy or reproductive care—helping fill gaps in coverage and giving employees more choice in how they access care.

“Overall, usage has been strong enough for us to keep offering [the benefit] year after year—it’s become a consistent part of our benefits package that employees rely on."

For Erin, the flexibility has been essential. “Personally, I use it. It’s nice to be able to, like, if insurance doesn’t cover a mental health resource or a reproductive health resource, I have that extra cushion of Liferaft,” she emphasizes. “For our employees who are growing their family, Liferaft can be really helpful.” 

She noted that employee requests have even led the company to expand the list of covered items. “I had an employee ask about birthing classes, and we were able to expand our offerings. It shows how valuable the benefit is,” she explains. 

From Liferaft to Vitable

In 2025, Liferaft was acquired by Vitable Health, expanding what began as a flexible HRA solution into a broader platform that now includes Direct Primary Care with unlimited primary care and mental health coaching, Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC) plans that meet federal requirements, ACA-compliant Minimum Value Plans (MVPs), as well as dental and vision coverage. For Hummingbird, this evolution means employees can continue to rely on the HRA benefit they know, while gaining access to a stronger, more integrated platform.

As Vitable CEO Joseph Kitonga explained, “By combining Liferaft’s ICHRA technology with our direct care network, we’ve broken through the impossible triangle. We’ve created something revolutionary: a single platform for employee healthcare and benefits. 

The Results: A Benefit Employees Rely On

For Hummingbird, the Group HRA has proven to be more than a stopgap—it’s become a consistent part of their benefits package. Employees use it for services that matter most, and the People team can administer it with minimal effort.

For Hummingbird, the Group HRA has proven to be more than a stopgap—it’s become a consistent part of their benefits package. Employees use it for services that matter most, and the People team can administer it with minimal effort.

That impact shows up in the numbers: with a 49% utilization rate, employees have submitted more than 285 claims, totaling over $55,000 in reimbursements. For a 70-person company, that level of engagement highlights just how valuable the benefit has become.

“Overall, usage has been strong enough for us to keep offering Liferaft year after year—it’s become a consistent part of our benefits package that employees rely on,” Erin said.

As Hummingbird grows, benefits like the Group HRA reflect its commitment to supporting employees through change. Now that Liferaft is part of Vitable, companies like Hummingbird have access to a stronger, more integrated benefits platform—delivering better coverage, lower costs, and zero administrative hassle.