Oscar’s mission is to make a healthier life affordable and accessible for all. As part of that mission, we’re deeply committed to making Oscar an inclusive place combatting and mitigating the impact of systemic racism within healthcare, a place where members can access culturally competent care, and a place where all employees feel that they belong.
We know that Oscar is made up of employees, and serves members, from underrepresented groups - many of which are continuing to experience targeted acts of violence. Recently, we turned on our TV or opened our phone to the news of a mass shooting at three Atlanta spas. This senseless act took the lives of eight people, and six of the victims were identified as members of the API (Asian Pacific Islander) community. It appears that this attack is yet another act of violence in a history of Anti-API sentiment in the U.S.
We’ve made our stance clear internally, with our employees, but we want to make sure our entire community hears this: We wholeheartedly condemn this act of violence, and the xenophobia, racism and hate driving this wave of violence against Asian Americans.
And we have an ask, which we made of employees, and will make to everyone in our community: please check in on eachother. Support each other as we process this tragedy and engage with compassion. And help where you can. Below, we’re sharing what we’re doing here at Oscar, resources for members and employees to fight anti-Asian discrimination and be an ally to the API community, and resources for our members and employees who need support.
Inside Oscar
We’re talking about it. We’re raising awareness. We’re condemning it. And we’re letting our API team members know we stand with them.
Following the shooting in Atlanta, our CEO Mario Schlosser condemned this hate crime, made clear that we stand with our API friends, family, teammates, neighbors, and members, shared the mental health resources available to our team, and an update that we have begun discussions with interested employees around forming an API ERG (Employee Resource Group) at Oscar.