COLUMBUS, Ga., Jan. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac, a
leading provider of supplemental insurance in the U.S., today
launched a national initiative, Close the Gap, to address
medical debt and disparities in health and wealth in America – an
issue that affects close to 50% of Americans and
disproportionately impacts people of color and those in low-income
communities. The initiative shines a light on people who fall in
the gap where health insurance ends and medical bills begin to pile
up.
"The health and wealth gaps that exist in America are causing
many families to decide between their health care and daily living
expenses," said Aflac U.S. President Teresa
White. "Through education, support and advocacy, our new
initiative can help close gaps that exist in communities across the
country and drive positive and lasting change."
The Close the Gap initiative is a multifaceted, comprehensive
program that aims to support, educate and advocate for the need to
close the health and wealth gap.
To provide further context to the national issue, the company
has published the Aflac Care Index*, a survey
designed to help educate people about health and wealth
disparities, a critical and mounting issue in the U.S. The Aflac
Care Index found:
- Nearly two-thirds (65%) of Americans' savings are equivalent to
or less than their health insurance out-of-pocket maximum.
- Nearly a quarter (24%) of insured Americans have $0 in savings, and just under half (48%) have
$1,000 or less in savings.
- Two-thirds (67%) of insured Americans lack supplemental health
insurance coverage to help cover that financial gap.
In addition to the Index, Aflac is introducing its first
film, "The Park Bench," an animated short
presented by Aflac that illustrates a real-life scenario many
Americans experience when an unexpected medical event occurs. The
film was produced by Carl Reed of
Lion Forge Animation, written, and directed by Academy
Award® and Golden Globe® nominee Rob Edwards, with musical direction provided by
Grammy® award-winning artist Nas. Through the eyes of a
young girl whose father has been diagnosed with sickle cell
disease, the story highlights the resulting impact of a medical
event on the family. "The Park Bench" film was named an official
selection at Brand Storytelling 2022, a sanctioned event of the
Sundance Film Festival as well as the Sedona International Film
Festival. "The Park Bench" film will stream on Twitch Jan. 22
at 7:30 p.m. EST and will also be
available to stream on Roku.
As one of the company's brand ambassadors, Deion "Coach Prime"
Sanders, will continue his support of the company and its Close the
Gap initiative.
"When I was recently sidelined for months with my own unexpected
medical emergency, I was not only reminded about how fortunate I
am, but also saw firsthand the impact it had on both my families –
my fiancé and sons, as well as my football family. Fortunately, I
was able to focus on my recovery and not worry about the cost.
However, too many Americans, especially those of color, are not
afforded the same peace of mind and are one step away from a
medical incident that could easily lead to financial ruin," said
Sanders. "I have a shared commitment with Aflac to help close the
gap for those without a voice and to bring greater awareness of the
medical debt disparity in America."
Aflac announced in October its intent to give away $1 million to families, individuals and
organizations throughout 2022, including the first 20 CareGrants
delivered in December 2021 to
individuals who overcame or were undergoing unexpected medical
events. The $5,000 gifts were
provided to help these individuals focus on their recovery by
helping to alleviate some of the financial hardships associated
with a medical event. Beginning in February, Aflac will expand its
CareGrants program and award grants to communities greatly impacted
by medical debt, as identified through data obtained via the Aflac
Care Index.
"Aflac's Close the Gap initiative is designed to not only
provide immediate financial support to individuals and communities
in need but also, through storytelling and data, aims to help
educate consumers and advocate for closing the gap in what health
insurance doesn't cover," said Shannon
Watkins, chief brand and marketing officer at Aflac. "We've
aligned with brand ambassadors and partners who share our vision
for a future where hardworking Americans' focus after a medical
event is on recovery, not unexpected bills. This exciting
initiative allows us to help close health and wealth gaps across
the country and bring the Aflac brand purpose to
life."
Learn more about Aflac's Close the Gap initiative at
www.Aflac.com/care.
*Care Index Methodology. The 2021-2022 U.S. Care Index is
an online survey conducted to better understand the perceptions
around health insurance coverage and the degree to which people
feel exposed to medical debt. The survey was conducted in
October 2021, by The Bantam Group,
Inc. on behalf of Aflac. The survey captured responses from 6,514
participants across the nation, aged 25-54, who have health
insurance and make or share in household decisions.
About Aflac Incorporated
Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:
AFL) is a Fortune 500 company helping provide protection to more
than 50 million people through its subsidiaries
in Japan and the U.S., where it is a leading supplemental
insurer, by paying cash fast when policyholders get sick or
injured. For more than six decades, insurance policies of Aflac
Incorporated's subsidiaries have given policyholders the
opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. Aflac Life
Insurance Japan is the leading provider of medical and cancer
insurance in Japan, where it insures 1 in 4 households. For 15
consecutive years, Aflac Incorporated has been recognized
by Ethisphere as one of the World's Most Ethical
Companies. In 2021, Fortune included Aflac Incorporated on its list
of World's Most Admired Companies for the 20th time, and Bloomberg
added Aflac Incorporated to its Gender-Equality Index, which tracks
the financial performance of public companies committed to
supporting gender equality through policy development,
representation and transparency, for the second consecutive year.
To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't
cover, get to know us at Aflac.com or Aflac.com/Espanol.
Aflac | Aflac New York | WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999.
Media contact: Jon Sullivan,
706.573.7610 or jsullivan@aflac.com
Analyst and investor contact: David A.
Young, 706.596.3264 or dyoung@aflac.com
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SOURCE Aflac Inc.