Addressing medical debt for hardworking Americans

For more than 65 years, Aflac has supported people at the intersection of their physical and financial health. When it comes to medical debt and health risks, we believe no one should have to choose between daily living and paying medical bills. To face this challenge head-on, we are on a mission to help close the gap between where health insurance ends and medical bills begin to pile up. We focus on helping Americans be better prepared for medical costs and believe health care costs shouldn’t come at the expense of peace of mind.

Shining a light on the issue of medical debt

Caring is in our DNA. We are committed to helping address long-standing health inequities, including the cost of health care. We have worked diligently to demonstrate this commitment through our CareGrants initiative, giving away more than $2 million throughout 2022 and 2023 to help communities and individuals impacted by medical debt.

The CareGrants program has two components:

• Individual Consumer CareGrants*: Awarded to help families and individuals focus on their physical recovery instead of financial stressors. From 2021 through the end of 2023, we will have awarded $800,000 to more than 100 hardworking Americans who have recently been burdened by medical expenses.
• Community CareGrants: Delivered to organizations that improve the medical outcomes locally. We prioritized regions identified as high-need by the Aflac Care Index, an inaugural study that provides a deeper understanding of consumer awareness and exposure to debt resulting from medical bills not covered by insurance. 

Community CareGrant recipients:

• Harlan County, Kentucky
  • To help address local health inequity in the areas that need the most support, we presented the first Aflac Community CareGrant in Kentucky, where 42% of state residents have unpaid medical bills. We selected Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) in Harlan, Kentucky, for its community-focused mission, wide range of relevant services and its outreach and accessibility programs. ARH used the $100,000 grant to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease in Harlan County.
• Orlando, Florida
  • In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Libby’s Legacy Breast Cancer Foundation, which supports the community through free breast health services for anyone who needs them, received a $100,000 Aflac Community CareGrant to increase access to breast health services, such as diagnostic testing (mammograms) and biopsies for underserved and underinsured individuals in Orlando.
• Houston, Texas
  • One-third (33%) of Texas residents are very concerned about their ability to pay medical bills not covered by insurance. To help combat this, we awarded our first $200,000 Community CareGrant to Texas Southern University’s (TSU) Center for Biomedical and Minority Health Research. TSU, one of the nation’s largest historically Black colleges or universities (HBCUs), created the Center for Biomedical and Minority Health Research to support basic biomedical research for diseases that disproportionately impact underrepresented minority populations. The grant was split between community support, education and health-related research to help advance health equity for diseases that disproportionately impact underserved communities.
• Columbia, South Carolina
  • In November 2022, we awarded a $100,000 Aflac Community CareGrant to Good Samaritan Clinic in Columbia, South Carolina, where 64% of South Carolina residents reported savings less than or equal to their out-of-pocket maximum. Good Samaritan Clinic is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing no-cost health care to underserved communities in South Carolina. The grant went towards making health care more accessible to the underserved by helping the organization develop a health care e-portal to reduce patients’ barriers to care, expand its point of care capacity, enable new hires and fund resources to help existing staff build and maintain patient relationships.
• Lexington, Virginia
  • Rockbridge Area Health Center is located in Rockbridge County, which, despite the appearance of wealth and prosperity, is considered a “medically underserved population” with 38% of residents considered low-income. Rockbridge Health Center has a steadfast mission to support the health and well-being of the community through affordable access to care to anyone who needs it. The organization was awarded a $100,000 Aflac Community CareGrant to reduce the risk of medical debt exposure and help fund school-based wellness education and multidisciplinary programs in Lexington.
• Gary, Indiana
  • In May 2023, Community HealthNet received a $100,000 Aflac Community CareGrant for its dedication to providing no-cost healthcare to families and individuals in the greater Gary community. The grant was used to develop a community farm, provide oral health services for the uninsured, purchase life-saving vaccines and medications for underserved populations, and hire new staff to build and maintain patient relationships.
• Charleston, West Virginia
  • The majority (84%) of West Virginia residents have reported savings less than or equal to their out-of-pocket maximums. To address this issue, we awarded West Virginia Health Right a $100,000 Aflac Community CareGrant to advance grassroots initiatives such as purchasing medication for low-income adults in the area, purchasing medical supplies and consumables, and offsetting salaries for the organization’s part-time in-house registered dietician and nurse health educator.
• Cleveland, Ohio
  • Care Alliance Health Center received a $100,000 Aflac Community CareGrant to advance its mission of providing high quality, comprehensive medical and dental care, patient advocacy and related services to people who need them most. The grant went toward the organization’s expansion as a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) to serve more vulnerable individuals; addressing community public health needs to build more trust and better outcomes; and addressing the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
• Harlem, New York
  • Hip Hop Public Health, a Harlem-based nonprofit co-founded by legendary hip hop artist, Doug E. Fresh, creates research-based educational resources by harnessing the power of music and culture to improve health in underserved communities. Most Harlem residents are Hispanic/Latino (47.05%), followed by Black (39.58%) and White (10.85%), making this a majority Black and Brown community. In most regions of New York, communities whose residents are majority people of color have higher rates of medical debt than communities whose residents are predominantly white. To address these vital issues, we awarded Hip Hop Public Health a $100,000 Aflac Community CareGrant to bolster the organization’s educational resources, health educator program and speaker series to improve health literacy in underserved communities. 

Aflac’s agents serve the underserved

Our insurance agents do more than just sell policies door to door — they’ve become advisors to clients who work with them to help keep their workforces healthy and act as a line of support for their employees.

We believe insurance agents are really “agents of care.” By providing ongoing education and other resources, including proprietary research, best-in-class digital tools, and training both in the field and virtually, our Agents of Care are well-equipped to educate policyholders on their benefits as teachers, allies and consultants who protect their health and finances.

We currently have more than 1,100 agents working in the states and communities most impacted by medical debt, as identified by the Aflac Care Index, including Arkansas, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Providing financial resources to communities of color

We have a 20-plus-year history of financially supporting HBCUs and their alumni, including:

• A $25 million commitment to LISC's Black Economic Development Fund to inject capital into Black-led businesses with the goal of helping close the racial wealth gap and strengthening Black communities and business ecosystems.
• A $1 million commitment to Morehouse School of Medicine.
• A $200,000 donation to Texas Southern University intended to fund community support, education and minority health research.
• A $200,000 donation to a yet-to-be-announced HBCU in Q4 2023.

Carrying on our legacy of giving back to the community, Aflac U.S. President Virgil Miller served as keynote speaker at the United Negro College Fund's (UNCF) annual fundraising campaign kickoff in Columbus, Georgia. He highlighted the importance of investing in young people, explaining how, “Our youth of today are tomorrow’s future. We must all invest in them and make sure they get the education that they deserve.” The UNCF prepares Black students for college, ensuring they have the support and resources needed to successfully enroll and graduate. It also invests in member institutions to improve student outcomes. Since 1997, we have contributed more than $500,000 to the UNCF.

Helping alleviate stress through financial well-being

We’re here to help add a layer of financial protection in the face of a medical expense. An example of this is through our collaboration with financial wellness platform BrightDime to help protect policyholders’ wallets by providing financial goal-setting tools, money organization resources and easy-to-understand financial education. We operate with a clear sense of purpose and social responsibility, which is reflected in the positive impact we have on the people and communities we serve.

_{*THE AFLAC CAREGRANTS CONTEST: NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE CHANCES OF WINNING. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S./D.C., age 18+ (19+ in AL and NE, 21+ in MS), who as of the date listed in the applicable Appendix, are not insured under any policy issued or administered by Aflac, Inc. or its subsidiaries or affiliates (collectively “Aflac”), and who incurred a medical debt before the date listed in the applicable Appendix. Void where prohibited. Each Contest starts at the time and date listed in the applicable Appendix and ends at the time and date listed in the applicable Appendix (the “Contest Period”). Total ARV of all prizes: $200,000. Subject to full Official CareGrant Individual Contest Rules available here. Sponsor: American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus (Aflac), 1932 Wynnton Rd., Columbus, GA 31999.}

_{This article is for informational purposes only and is not a solicitation for insurance. Information is not intended to provide tax, legal, health or financial advice for any person or for any specific situation. Employers, employees and other individuals should contact their own advisers about their situations.}

_{Aflac has entered into a marketing alliance with BrightDime. BrightDime may provide up to one year of complimentary financial services to individuals who are employees of certain accounts. Aflac and BrightDime are not affiliated and Aflac makes no representations or warranties regarding the financial products or services. Aflac is not responsible for any product or service you receive from BrightDime. BrightDime is not available to Employers in ID, MD, MN, NM, NY or PR and is not available to residents in ID, MN and NM. Benefits and restrictions may vary by state.}

_{Aflac supplemental coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus. In New York, Aflac supplemental coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of New York. Aflac | Aflac New York | WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999}