GREENVILLE, S.C. (January 23, 2017)—According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 33% of
American adults are considered obese. In addition, “obesity-related conditions include
heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading
causes of preventable death. The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the U.S.
was $147 billion in 2008 U.S. dollars; the medical costs for people who are obese
were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight,” says the CDC.
To combat this obesity epidemic, and in a continued effort to promote the health
and wellness of Upstate communities, Aflac, the leader in voluntary insurance sales
at the worksite in the United States, has partnered with the University of South Carolina
(USC) School of Medicine Greenville to provide a full scholarship of $160,000 over
the course of four years to one of our region’s future physicians. The patient-mindedness,
Total Health focus, and population health mentality of the USC School of Medicine
Greenville, along with its commitment to lifestyle medicine, optimizes this ideal
partnership.
“Aflac products help protect the lifestyles of our policyholders by providing financial
security against unexpected illnesses or injuries,” Aflac Senior Vice President, Chief
Administrative Officer Virgil Miller said. “But we also want to help people live healthy,
and the USC School of Medicine Greenville’s emphasis on total patient care and lifestyle
medicine is something we believe will play a significant role in controlling the obesity
rate in South Carolina and across our country.”
The USC School of Medicine Greenville implements lifestyle medicine into its curriculum
to promote self-care among the student body as they persevere through school, and
for students to impart this knowledge to their future patients. Additionally, the
USC School of Medicine Greenville was the first medical school in the country to fully
incorporate exercise as medicine into all four years of its curriculum.
“The generosity of Aflac will allow us to continue encouraging wellness in the Upstate,
both now and in the future,” said Harris Pastides, president of the University of
South Carolina. “This is an investment that will have an impact long after our students
become physicians.”
About USC School of Medicine Greenville
The University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville is a partnership between
the state’s largest university, the University of South Carolina (USC), and one of
the largest health systems in the Southeast, the Greenville Health System (GHS). Located
near GHS’ flagship tertiary hospital Greenville Memorial Hospital, the medical school
graduated its first physician class in spring 2016. This “different school of thought”
is dedicated to providing exceptional training for new physicians in transforming
healthcare delivery. Learn more at greenvillemed.sc.edu.
About Aflac
When a policyholder gets sick or hurt, Aflac pays cash benefits fast. For six decades,
Aflac insurance policies have given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery,
not financial stress. In the United States, Aflac is the leader in voluntary insurance
sales at the worksite. Through its trailblazing One Day PaySM initiative, Aflac U.S.
can receive, process, approve and disburse payment for eligible claims in one business
day. In Japan, Aflac is the leading provider of medical and cancer insurance and insures
1 in 4 households. Aflac insurance products help provide protection to more than 50
million people worldwide. For 10 consecutive years, Aflac has been recognized by Ethisphere
as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies. In 2016, Fortune magazine recognized
Aflac as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for the 18th consecutive
year and included Aflac on its list of Most Admired Companies for the 15th time, ranking
the company No. 1 in innovation for the insurance, life and health category for the
second consecutive year. In 2015, Aflac’s contact centers were recognized by J.D.
Power by providing “An Outstanding Customer Service Experience” for the Live Phone
Channel. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac and One Day PaySM, visit
aflac.com or espanol.aflac.com.