On Feb. 21, 2024, the cyber event reported by Change Healthcare, a company that assists healthcare providers with claims submissions and payments, has created a significant impact to health care providers, including hospitals, individual practitioners, practice groups, diagnostic centers, laboratories, and pharmacies. We have determined Aflac’s primary operations are not impacted. Further, Aflac and its subsidiaries do not have any direct connection to Change Healthcare systems in any of Aflac’s systems or applications. At this time, we are not aware of any impact to customer data but we are monitoring for any communications from our critical third-party suppliers. While Change Healthcare’s cyber event was not directed at Aflac, we will provide flexibility with claims submissions related to this incident should it be needed. If you believe you have a claim impacted by Change Healthcare’s event, please contact Aflac at 800-992-3522.
To help provide relief for Arkansas policyholders residing in Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Fulton, Grant, Greene, Madison, Marion, Nevada, Randolph, Sevier, and Sharp counties affected by severe storms, floods and tornadoes occurring May 24-26, Aflac will provide a premium grace period starting May 24, 2024, and ending July 23, 2024. This grace period also provides an extension of filing deadlines for claims and leniency for any other action required under the policy. Aflac will provide a replacement copy of the policy upon request by the policyholder.
To help provide relief for California policyholders residing in the state of California affected by the winter storms, Aflac will provide a premium grace period starting Feb. 3, 2024, and ending Aug. 20, 2024. This grace period also provides an extension of filing deadlines for claims and leniency for any other action required under the policy. Aflac will provide a replacement copy of the policy upon request by the policyholder
To provide relief for New Mexico policy/certificate holders residing in Lincoln County and the Mescalero Apache Reservation and affected by the wildfires, Aflac will provide the following protections for policy/certificate holders:
In addition to the above, Aflac through Aflac Benefits Solutions will provide the following protections for Network Dental and Vision members and providers:
Affected members should contact Aflac Benefits Solutions at 855-819-1873, option 1, for assistance.
To help provide relief for Iowa policyholders residing in Iowa that have been affected by the severe storms, Aflac will provide a premium grace period starting Apr. 16, 2024, and ending Aug. 26, 2024. This grace period also provides an extension of filing deadlines for claims and leniency for any other action required under the policy. Aflac will provide a replacement copy of the policy upon request by the policyholder.
For Network Dental and Vision Members:
This grace period also provides an extension of filing deadlines for claims; relaxation of prior authorization, precertification, and referral requirements; access to appropriate out-of-network providers due to unavailability on in-network providers or the members’ displacement; and leniency for any other action required under the certificate. A replacement copy of the certificate will be provided upon request by the certificate holder. Affected members should contact Aflac Benefit Solutions (formerly Argus Dental and Vision) at 855-819-1873, Option 1, for assistance.
Charlie’s smile was timid as her mother gingerly pulled the small patient wagon in which she sat into the room, the two having ventured downstairs on this recent Thursday afternoon to visit the Celebration of Courage Event sponsored by Aflac and Beads of Courage. It was week three of Charlie’s stay as a patient at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and the first time the five-year-old had felt well enough to leave her room.
Celebrating the courage of patients and family members, the free of charge event was held to give them the opportunity to socialize and create new bead necklaces, clips and bracelets that help represent personal milestones in their treatment journeys. Among the bead selections were an Aflac Wingman Bead and a My Special Aflac Duck ® Bead, special nods to the 18 Aflac employee volunteers who had traveled from Columbus to help this afternoon.
Five-year-old Dewey was looking forward to the event, almost as much as he was to turning six the next week, his mother, Megan, admitted as they made their way from one bead station to the next. Dewey sat quietly in his wheelchair, his collection of colorful beads threaded together by a brown string laying on a bright green tray across his lap. There were shiny blue beads, yellow ones and others in various shades of red, green and brown, some with swirls and stripes and even one with a rainbow. Five square, white beads, each with its own bold, black letter, were strung together to spell out his name.
Five-year-old Dewey added colorful beads to those that spell his name.
“Some represent procedures and other milestones,” his mother said of the multiple dozens of beads Dewey brought with him. “Others, he just liked the colors.
“Little things make him happy.”
Aflac volunteers helped Dewey pick out even more beads to add to his collection.
I was so happy to see the smiles on all of the faces,” said Angel Whittlesey Aflac’s Digital Enrollment Support Analyst, who volunteered alongside husband Marlon, an Aflac Senior HR Investigations Consultant. The couple handed out strength bracelets and helped patients design and select beads for their own origami crane strand necklaces. Others manned bead stations with activities honoring siblings and parents, and some handed out Certificates of Courage and helped patients weigh their bead collections.
“I was happy to see how positive the patients and families were,” said volunteer Jalisa Jakes, Aflac’s Associate Talent Recruiter. “It reminded me to be more mindful of being positive. Don’t take life for granted.
“Cherish every moment.”
Visit the Beads of Courage website to find out more about and to donate to the program.
Aflac WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999
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