Why It Matters

Aflac has meaningfully restructured its lobbying apparatus, targeting three high-stakes policy battlegrounds.

First, the company is lobbying to preserve regulatory flexibility around excepted benefits and fixed indemnity plans as new federal tri-agency rules require enhanced consumer transparency. Second, Aflac is actively engaged on paid family and medical leave legislation, particularly S. 2823, the FAMILY Act, which would establish a federal insurance program that could displace private supplemental leave products. Third, the company is pursuing new military healthcare markets through NDAA provisions, specifically efforts like H.R. 3148, the SALUTE Act, which would establish supplemental cancer insurance pilot programs for service members.

The company recently hired Horizons Global Solutions LLC in 2024-2025 specifically to lobby on National Defense Authorization Act provisions for military healthcare benefits, indicating a new market expansion focus. Additionally, Aflac added Kenneth Summers to its in-house team in July 2025, bringing fresh capacity focused on excepted benefits, fixed indemnity plans, and paid family leave.

By the Numbers

Aflac Inc. reported $1,370,000 in Q3 2025 in-house lobbying expenditures. The company has invested substantially in federal advocacy over two decades, filing 665 total disclosures and spending approximately $125.1 million cumulatively since 2003. While Q3 2025 relied exclusively on internal staff, Aflac maintains relationships with 23 external lobbying firms.

Aflac’s in-house team consists of five lobbyists. Chasseny M. Lewis brings 14 years of congressional experience, including House Financial Services Committee expertise. Bradley Lamont Knox served three years as Chief Counsel for the House Small Business Committee and has lobbied for Aflac since 2006. Gina Joy Rigby-House is the team’s longest-tenured member, representing the company since 2003.

The Agenda

Aflac is lobbying on specific legislative issues affecting its supplemental insurance business. The company’s Q3 2025 focus centered on three primary areas: implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, particularly excepted benefits and fixed indemnity plans; emerging federal paid family and medical leave legislation; and healthcare benefit provisions within the National Defense Authorization Acts for Fiscal Year 2026.

On paid leave specifically, Aflac’s team is tracking S. 2823, the FAMILY Act, which would create a national paid leave insurance program. Additionally, H.R. 3148, the SALUTE Act, directing the Defense Department to establish a military supplemental cancer insurance pilot program, aligns directly with Aflac’s core business—explaining the recent hiring of Horizons Global Solutions LLC to focus specifically on defense authorization provisions.

Broader Context

Aflac’s Q3 2025 lobbying activities occur amid significant upheaval in the health insurance marketplace. The ACA marketplace faces ongoing instability, with the House Education and the Workforce Committee exploring expanding employer-sponsored coverage through Association Health Plans. Federal regulations now require consumer notice when employers offer fixed indemnity plans, effective January 1, 2025, explaining Aflac’s focus on preserving product design flexibility.

Competitive Landscape

Aflac is not alone in lobbying on supplemental insurance issues. Competitors Sun Life Financial and Guardian Life Insurance Co. are actively lobbying on paid leave legislation, indicating sector-wide focus on shaping regulatory frameworks for voluntary and supplemental insurance products.

The Bottom Line

Aflac Inc. spent $1.37 million on in-house lobbying in Q3 2025, focusing on insurance regulation and healthcare policy. The company’s five-person team is navigating significant policy turbulence: regulatory tightening around supplemental insurance products, ongoing ACA marketplace uncertainty, federal momentum on paid leave legislation, and new military benefits expansion opportunities. Aflac’s lobbying efforts reflect both defensive positioning and offensive strategy, mirroring broader industry activity from competitors like Guardian Life Insurance and Sun Life Financial.

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