Teams to focus on preventive wellness by
addressing physical, emotional and financial toxicity related to a
cancer diagnosis
COLUMBUS, Ga., Feb. 25,
2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac Incorporated (Aflac), the
leading provider of cancer insurance in the United States and Japan, is teaming up with the American Cancer
Society (ACS), the leading cancer-fighting organization with a
vision of ending cancer as we know it — for everyone. Together,
they will shine a light on the ways early cancer detection can
support individuals as they navigate the physical, emotional and
financial challenges associated with the disease, particularly as
data from the most recent (2024) Aflac Wellness Matters
Survey found that 77% of Americans delay important health
checkups,1 and 60% admit to avoiding important health
and cancer screenings altogether,2 with millennials
leading the pack.
Throughout the collaboration, ACS and Aflac will work together
to empower employees to take proactive steps in managing their
health to enhance workforce well-being and assist in mitigating
health care costs. This addresses key findings in the 2024-2025
Aflac WorkForces report that show 70% of employees experience
at least some anxiety about a serious medical
diagnosis,3 and 51% of Americans are unable to pay
$1,000 out of pocket in the event of
an unexpected illness or injury.4
Aligning with Aflac's core mission to provide benefits to
policyholders before, during and after a cancer diagnosis, ACS
programs and services will be shared, particularly benefitting
those who have experienced a cancer diagnosis and are facing
potential financial and logistical challenges. These include the
ACS's Road to Recovery® program, which offers free rides to
cancer-related medical appointments, and information on
Hope Lodge®, a free patient
lodging program for cancer patients seeking treatment outside of
their community.
"As the leading provider and pioneer of cancer insurance sales
in the United States, and with a
70-year record of providing valuable benefits and service to our
customers, we know that early detection can help lead to better
physical, emotional and financial outcomes," Aflac Incorporated
President Virgil Miller said. "Aflac
and the American Cancer Society are closely aligned on this mission
to achieve better health outcomes and mitigate the financial
toxicity of a major health event. We are pleased to join them to
better serve families facing the challenges of a cancer
diagnosis."
The collaboration will enable ACS to bring awareness to its
Employee Toolkit efforts, including a new webpage that will provide
on-demand access for employers to valuable cancer
prevention-related content. Aflac associates will be able to share
these tools with clients across the nation to provide for their
employees. Each toolkit will include helpful information such as
cancer screening guidelines, with facts and educational materials
for individuals who have already been diagnosed with cancer.
"We're pleased to be working with Aflac in this mutual effort to
help deliver greater access to our services and programs to those
who need it the most," said Dr. Arif
Kamal, chief patient officer at the American Cancer Society.
"Cancer can't be fought alone. It takes a great deal of community
support and access to resources to overcome the obstacles that many
cancer patients face every day."
As an added level of commitment, Miller will initiate the first
CEOs Against Cancer chapter in Georgia, where Aflac and ACS are
headquartered, joining a group of prominent CEOs across the nation.
Miller will accept a two-year term as chair of the newly created
organization and serve as a spokesperson for the chapter.
In 2023, Aflac updated its signature cancer policy, enhancing
benefits to address changes in the health care system as well as
benefits related to outpatient care. The company also established a
new system wherein policyholders calling to file a first-time
cancer claim are provided the option to speak directly with a team
of professionals specifically trained to handle these
often-emotional claims.
Learn more about this important work at cancer.org/Aflac.
ABOUT AFLAC INCORPORATED
Aflac Incorporated
(NYSE: AFL), a Fortune 500 company, has helped provide
financial protection and peace of mind for nearly seven decades to
millions of policyholders and customers through its subsidiaries in
the U.S. and Japan. In the
U.S., Aflac is the No. 1 provider of supplemental
health insurance products.5 In Japan, Aflac Life Insurance Japan
is the leading provider of cancer and medical insurance in terms of
policies in force. The company takes pride in being there for its
policyholders when they need us most, as well as being included in
the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for
18 consecutive years (2024) and Fortune's World's Most Admired
Companies for 23 years (2024). In addition, the company became a
signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment
(PRI) in 2021 and has been included in the Dow Jones
Sustainability North America Index (2024) for 11 years. To find out
how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover, get
to know us at aflac.com or
aflac.com/español. Investors may learn more about
Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to corporate social
responsibility and sustainability at
investors.aflac.com under "Sustainability."
1 2024 Wellness Matters Survey Overview, page
18
2 2024 Wellness Matters Survey Overview, page
20
3 2024-2025 Aflac Workforces Report Executive
Summary, page 52
42024-2025 Aflac Workforces Report Executive Summary,
page 46
5 LIMRA 2023 U.S. Supplemental Health Insurance Total
Market Report
Media contact: Jon
Sullivan, 706-763-4813 or jsullivan@aflac.com
Analyst and investor contact: David
A. Young, 706-596-3264, 800-235-2667 or dyoung@aflac.com
Aflac | Aflac New York | WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999
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SOURCE Aflac
