Health insurance veteran LaMonte Thomas has been with Cigna since 1997. Eight years ago, he was promoted to a divisional president role, overseeing operations in North Texas and Oklahoma. He stays actively involved in the community and philanthropic organizations, including leadership roles at the Salvation Army of DFW and the Texas Diversity Council.
How are you coping amid the COVID-19 crisis?
Personally, I’m working from home like the rest of my team and the tens of thousands of my Cigna colleagues all over the country and around the world. I’m social distancing by staying home and away from people to minimize the risk of spreading the virus. I’m following a routine each day so that I can create a sense of normalcy during this very abnormal time. That includes taking time out each day to reflect on what I’m grateful for in life, listening to music, and having relaxing dinners with my wife. We’re enjoying time together to read and stream movies, and we’re staying connected to friends and family by phone and video chat. And of course, we’re washing our hands a lot. I can’t stress that enough. We all need to follow the medical and scientific guidance to stay safe and healthy!
What are the short-term ramifications for your specific industry?
We’re always focused on the health and well–being of our customers; it’s at the core of who we are and what we do. But now, more than ever, we have to be laser-focused on our customers and helping them get through this. That’s why we have waived cost-sharing for COVID-19 testing and treatments. We need to make sure that out-of-pocket costs are not preventing people from getting care, because if people avoid care, that would only make this public health crisis even worse.
Have you found silver linings in these difficult times?
I think the silver lining is that we have come to realize what truly matters in our lives and how important it is to look out for one another.
Do you have advice for other local business leaders?
Now more than ever, don’t forget to focus on your employees’ mental and emotional health, as well as their physical health. Yes, they need to eat right and get plenty of sleep, and of course, they need to follow proper hand–washing hygiene and social–distancing guidelines to stay healthy. But these are extraordinary times with many new stressors—the worry of getting sick and the worry of spreading illness to others, of course; but also the stress of having kids at home from school while parents are working at home, while maybe also looking after aging parents. If your company has an employee assistance program, encourage them to use it. Remind them to exercise outdoors if they’re able to do so safely, and to keep up with social connections, although from a distance, to help maintain their emotional well–being.
