Aflac and the American Cancer Society Team Up to encourage proactive health care and early detection

Rhea-AI Summary

Aflac, the leading provider of cancer insurance in the US and Japan, has partnered with the American Cancer Society (ACS) to promote early cancer detection and address the physical, emotional, and financial challenges associated with cancer diagnoses.

The collaboration comes as Aflac's 2024 Wellness Matters Survey revealed that 77% of Americans delay important health checkups and 60% avoid cancer screenings. Additionally, the 2024-2025 Aflac WorkForces report found that 70% of employees experience anxiety about serious medical diagnoses and 51% of Americans cannot afford a $1,000 unexpected medical expense.

Through this partnership, Aflac will help promote ACS programs including the Road to Recovery® program offering free rides to medical appointments and Hope Lodge® providing free lodging for cancer patients seeking treatment away from home. ACS will also develop an Employee Toolkit with cancer prevention resources that Aflac associates can share with clients nationwide.

As part of this initiative, Aflac Incorporated President Virgil Miller will establish and chair the first CEOs Against Cancer chapter in Georgia, where both organizations are headquartered.

Positive

• Partnership with American Cancer Society enhances Aflac's brand positioning in cancer insurance
• Collaboration addresses high consumer anxiety about medical diagnoses (70% of employees)
• New Employee Toolkit provides value-added resources for Aflac's corporate clients
• Enhanced cancer policy benefits introduced in 2023 improve Aflac's product offering
• New specialized team for first-time cancer claims improves customer experience

Negative

• No direct financial impact or revenue projections mentioned
• No metrics provided on expected business growth from the partnership

Insights

Healthcare Insurance Analyst

Aflac's strategic partnership with the American Cancer Society represents a calculated business move that addresses both public health challenges and financial performance objectives. This collaboration directly targets concerning behavioral trends identified in Aflac's proprietary research: 77% of Americans delay health checkups and 60% avoid cancer screenings altogether.

From a financial perspective, this initiative creates a potential win-win scenario. Early cancer detection typically results in less expensive treatments, potentially reducing Aflac's claims severity over time. With 51% of Americans unable to cover a $1,000 unexpected medical expense, Aflac's supplemental insurance value proposition becomes even more compelling when paired with preventive care messaging.

The partnership enhances Aflac's competitive positioning in three distinct ways:

• Strengthens Aflac's cancer insurance market leadership by associating with the premier cancer advocacy organization
• Creates a valuable B2B offering through ACS's Employee Toolkit that Aflac's sales force can leverage with employer clients
• Improves the customer journey with specialized claims handling for first-time cancer diagnoses, addressing both emotional and financial aspects

The 2023 update to Aflac's signature cancer policy, with enhanced outpatient care benefits, demonstrates the company's responsiveness to evolving healthcare delivery models. This product evolution, combined with the ACS partnership, positions Aflac advantageously within the broader shift toward value-based care models that emphasize prevention and early intervention.

For investors, this initiative should be viewed as a long-term strategic investment rather than a near-term financial catalyst. While unlikely to impact quarterly results immediately, it addresses several key value drivers: potential claims ratio improvement, enhanced distribution capabilities through employer relationships, and strengthened brand positioning in Aflac's core cancer insurance segment – particularly important in Japan, where cancer products represent a significant revenue stream.

The establishment of Georgia's first CEOs Against Cancer chapter, with Aflac's President as chair, further elevates the company's ESG profile – an increasingly important consideration for institutional investors who incorporate sustainability metrics into investment decisions.

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

FAQ

What benefits does the Aflac and American Cancer Society partnership offer to cancer patients?

The partnership promotes ACS programs like Road to Recovery® (free rides to medical appointments) and Hope Lodge® (free lodging for patients seeking treatment away from home), addressing financial and logistical challenges faced by cancer patients.

How many Americans delay health checkups according to Aflac's 2024 Wellness Matters Survey?

According to Aflac's 2024 Wellness Matters Survey, 77% of Americans delay important health checkups, and 60% admit to avoiding important health and cancer screenings altogether.

What percentage of Americans cannot afford unexpected medical expenses according to AFL's research?

According to the 2024-2025 Aflac WorkForces report, 51% of Americans are unable to pay $1,000 out of pocket in the event of an unexpected illness or injury.

What role will Virgil Miller play in the AFL and American Cancer Society collaboration?

Virgil Miller, Aflac Incorporated President, will initiate and chair the first CEOs Against Cancer chapter in Georgia for a two-year term, serving as a spokesperson for the chapter.

What changes did AFL make to its cancer policy in 2023?

In 2023, Aflac updated its signature cancer policy with enhanced benefits addressing changes in the healthcare system and improved outpatient care coverage. They also established a specialized team to handle first-time cancer claims with sensitivity.

What resources will the American Cancer Society provide to employers through the AFL partnership?

ACS will create an Employee Toolkit with a new webpage providing employers on-demand access to cancer prevention content, including screening guidelines and educational materials for those diagnosed with cancer.