Aflac Incorporated, a leader in supplemental insurance at U.S. worksites, announced it has contributed $5 million to two organizations that are providing assistance for health care workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 global pandemic. The $5 million donation includes:

$2 million for the Global Center for Medical Innovation (GCMI), a comprehensive innovation center using innovative 3D printing to help support medical device shortages, particularly as it relates to ventilators and protective masks.  GCMI works in collaboration with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Pediatric Technology Center.

$3 million for Direct Relief, a humanitarian aid organization providing personal protective equipment (PPE) and essential medical items to health workers responding to the coronavirus. Direct Relief is active in all 50 states.

"Whether you have been directly impacted or are witnessing the global pandemic through the media, one thing is very clear: Americans are coming together to address this problem in ways we have not seen in a very long time," Aflac Incorporated Chairman and CEO Dan Amos said. "At Aflac, our mission is to be there for our policyholders in their time of need and provide value for our shareholders. In our minds, there is no better way to accomplish both of these goals than to help fill significant needs in a crisis and by delivering for our customers with more urgency than ever before."

"Direct Relief is deeply grateful to Aflac for its generosity and significant commitment in this challenging time," said Thomas Tighe, Direct Relief president and CEO. "As cases continue to grow, private industry has an extraordinary ability to collaborate for the public good, and Aflac is leading through its actions."

"GCMI is the bridge connecting clinicians to help translate ideas through development and scaling solutions rapidly, where it can have broad impact on healthcare worker safety and patient care," GCMI's CEO, Tiffany Wilson said. "This funding helps get the relief needed to the frontline by accelerating innovation and collaboration."

"The Global Center for Medical Innovation and the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Pediatric Technology Center are at the foundation of our collaborative, nationwide effort to provide an innovative solution to the PPE shortage crisis," said Dr. Joanna Newton MD, M.Sc., attending physician, pediatric hematology and oncology, Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta; senior clinical advisor, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Pediatric Technology Center. "This generous gift from Aflac allows us to rapidly scale production to immediately increase the supply of PPE across the country."   

In addition to the $5 million in donations, Aflac has addressed the needs of a variety of groups through other measures, including policyholders, employees, 1099 independent agents who sell Aflac products, and the local communities where Aflac and Aflac Group Insurance are headquartered.

Support for policyholders

Aflac is encouraging policyholders who are displaying COVID-19 symptoms to seek treatment and is paying wellness benefits on applicable policies for COVID-19 tests, when completed claims are submitted. Additionally, the company's hospital indemnity plans offer benefits for policyholders treated in temporary facilities authorized by a qualifying hospital for treatment, when a charge is incurred. Policyholders who are unable to pay their premiums have been granted premium payment grace periods. The company is generally treating telemedicine visits the same way it would an in-person visit to a health care provider. To communicate these initiatives, Aflac created a COVID-19-related consumer Frequently Asked Questions site at Aflac.com to provide speedy responses to policyholders' questions about their policies. The company also created a special COVID-19-related small-business microsite to assist employers during this time of need. Policyholders can also take advantage of enhanced technologies for submitting claims by using Aflac SmartClaim^® via our online system at www.aflac.com or by downloading the MyAflac Mobile App.