Humana’s San Francisco market president on his career journey and the evolution of the benefits industryWhen he was a child considering which career to pursue, Jason Ackermann wanted to be a teacher. In many ways, he believes he ended up doing just that, only on a much wider scale — and he can see how his work impacts the general population.
The thrill-seeker at heart shared how he guides insurance planning for companies and their employees and his own goals of relationship and adventure. He likes to set lofty goals for both.: I see the benefits to our customers, clients and the employees they serve. You’re selling dental insurance, life insurance, vision insurance, but when people have a need, the appreciation is there. To help employers creatively determine what benefits would best suit their employees — that’s where the fun is.
Can you recall a moment in your career when you saw a direct positive impact of your actions on a customer? How did that impact affect future decision-making?: There were a couple of potential customers in the public sector with similar scenarios. We won the business of one and not the other, but in both, the price point was significantly higher than the competition, yet they chose Humana because of what we stood for, our message and the benefits we provided.
What are some of the most pressing concerns, other than COVID-19, that you see affecting the health care industry this year and next?: The rising cost of health care, especially in medical, but it ties to some of the things I do as well. A lot of markets have limited options for their benefits. It’s been challenging to offer benefits at a cost that is reasonable for the customer and that enables the organization to stay in business.