Shining A Pink Spotlight On Supplemental Benefits

3 ways to educate employees

Each October, a wave of pink that would make “Legally Blonde” character Elle Woods proud envelops the nation. This pink takeover is in alignment with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, serving as a reminder to take charge of your health through proactive measures, including getting screened for breast cancer and implementing healthy routines.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month also coincides with the start of the open enrollment season — and how could we forget the ongoing turbulence due to the pandemic? Now is an essential time for HR departments to not only educate employees about breast cancer, but discuss how workers’ benefits packages can help support employees should they or a covered family member receive a cancer diagnosis. Here are three ways to guide and educate employees during this time.

People have different medical needs depending on their age, gender, family history and personal habits. According to the American Cancer Society, 5% to 10% of breast cancer cases are thought to be hereditary, resulting directly from gene mutations passed on from a parent.1 And people take family history seriously when selecting their benefits: 42% of respondents said family history is extremely or very influential on health insurance decisions, and 55% say they are extremely or very interested in purchasing insurance for an illness that runs in the family, according to the 2020-2021 Aflac WorkForces Report.2

Offering supplemental cancer insurance is a great way to give employees a benefit option that may address their family history. In particular, look for a cancer policy that stays in step with medical advancements related to hereditary traits that can increase the risk of breast cancer, including genetic testing, preemptive surgery based on that testing and egg harvesting. 

In this fast-paced world, it is common for employees to delay proactive health care. One study noted that 58% of adults have declined or delayed health care at least once because it was too costly. Women, in particular, are more likely to delay treatment than men, with 62% delaying health care due to the cost.3 However, the medical community agrees that preventative care and annual screenings are key to finding breast cancer early, which makes it easier to treat.

Offering supplemental coverage can help workers worry less about medical costs and focus on being well. To help further limit those worries, HR managers can highlight how supplemental insurance policies like accident and cancer insurance may include a wellness or health screening benefit for things like a Covid-19 test, annual physical, dental or eye exam, mammogram, immunization and more. 

In the current pandemic environment, many people are apprehensive about going to a doctor’s office in person. In fact, 48% of Americans delayed medical care due to the pandemic.4 To help solve for this, consider adding a telehealth service as part of your company’s benefits package, as it offers employees a virtual option to stay on top of their health without having to leave home. And insurers like Aflac consider telehealth visits generally the same as in-person visits when a supplemental insurance claim is filed.

Should a cancer diagnosis occur, it is important for patients to focus on what matters most: getting better. But this is often easier said than done, especially with the rising costs of health care. According to the National Cancer Institute, some women reported depleting their savings or borrowing from friends and family to pay for their breast cancer treatment, and one-third of low-income women said they had trouble affording basic necessities as a result.5

Education and communication are vital to helping employees understand the basics of what health insurance covers and how supplemental coverage can assist with the expenses health insurance doesn’t cover. Also, offering access to a Health Advocacy service provides a personal health care concierge assisting with potentially stressful tasks such as clarifying health care coverage, addressing claims, negotiating medical bills and finding treatment centers.

Look for supplemental products and services supporting emotional well-being and life after recovery. For example, Aflac offers access to counseling services for an insured with cancer and their family, as well as a benefit on their cancer insurance that provides an automatic claim payment for the insured on their anniversary date of being cancer-free. Life after recovery from cancer can still be difficult, so benefits offerings like these can be crucial to helping give added peace of mind for the road ahead.

Employers can take time during Breast Cancer Awareness Month to inform employees about the benefits being offered during open enrollment that can help financially if the unfortunate occurs. This can help make them feel like a valued part of their workforce and reassure them that their benefits packages have been thoughtfully constructed with their needs in mind.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a solicitation for insurance. Aflac includes Aflac and/or Aflac New York. 

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