Like many, Brittani Arceneaux could not afford to miss work amidst the pandemic. The access to regular COVID-19 testing – and the reassurance she would get the required care if she did contract the virus – her health plan gave her offered the peace of mind necessary for Brittani to continue to perform her job to the best of her abilities.
Brittani Arceneaux is a real estate agent who services one of the country’s hottest real estate markets – Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. Once “work from home” became the norm due to COVID-19, the real estate market exploded, as many homeowners sought out properties with more space, while others moved closer to loved ones to assist in case of a medical emergency. This spike in demand created one of the most active markets in recent history, and it also required real estate agents to be available, which meant regularly coming in contact with people and places outside of their bubble.
Having been in the industry for only four years, Brittani was not in a position to miss an entire year of work. She needed security, regular testing and reassurance that she would get the required care if she did contract COVID-19. While many real estate agents need to secure their own health insurance and benefits, Brittani’s firm offered all agents an opportunity to enroll in an employer-sponsored health care benefits program – an offer that Brittani gladly accepted. In addition to covering critical services and preventive care, this coverage provided her with peace of mind and comfort to perform her job to the best of her abilities.
Working for a large agency has advantages and disadvantages, Brittani noted. Earning sufficient fees and commissions to support oneself is always a struggle, even in an active market. Brittani intends to remain at the firm in part because of the benefits offered. “It just simplifies things and gives me one less thing to think about, which is critically important – especially during a pandemic,” Brittani said.
When Maggie Talarico was working to open her small business, Foresight Construction Services, she was committed to being able to offer health coverage for her employees. “I had dreamt of starting a business for years, but wanted to be sure I could secure health care for myself and offer it to my employees before getting off the ground,” she said. “The Affordable Care Act (ACA) made that dream a reality, eliminating a barrier to growing my business.”
Anne T.’s employer-provided coverage has given her financial stability and peace of mind, even helping her access long-needed hearing aides: “I knew I needed them, but I did not realize just how much I was missing without them.”