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At Experian, we are committed to educating consumers about how to manage their credit histories and protect their financial health. At the same time, we know the COVID-19 pandemic has created a difficult economic reality for millions of Americans. In response, many people have questions about how to protect themselves financially, including their credit histories and scores. To address these questions, we partnered with pro football legend and American Ninja Warrior host Akbar Gbajabiamila to educate consumers across the country about steps they can take to protect their financial health and their credit standing. Gbajabiamila, author of “Everyone Can be a Ninja,” is passionate about helping people develop a financial game plan and he understands having a good credit history is a key component of good financial health. These interviews provided a platform for Gbajabiamila to share the four-point financial fitness game plan consumers can use protect and improve their financial health during the pandemic, including: Contacting your lenders as soon as possible if you think you may miss a payment. Many lenders provide emergency support, which can help protect your credit standing. Getting credit for paying cable, satellite, internet, Netflix and utility bills on time with Experian Boost Exploring balance transfer options or other introductory credit offers through Experian Credit Match Checking your credit report regularly. It’s free once a week at AnnualCreditReport.com. Tune in to Gbajabiamila’s interview with NBC Washington and hear his message to consumers in the videos below. For more credit education resources and tools: Join Experian’s #CreditChat hosted by @Experian on Twitter with financial experts every Wednesday at 3 p.m. Eastern time Visit the Ask Experian blog for answers to common questions, advice and education about credit For additional resources visit www.experian.com/coronavirus

In 2013, I came out to my brother. Sitting down at dinner, knowing whole-heartedly that he would fully accept me and nothing with our relationship would change, I was still scared. Each year on October 11, National Coming Out Day, I reflect on that first coming out experience and what I truly feared. Even though I knew I was safe, I also knew that coming out to him was just the start of coming out every single day for the rest of my life. It was the start of facing discrimination and judgment both in day-to-day life and professionally. It wasn’t a decision I made lightly. Coincidently, my brother came out to me at that very same dinner which certainly took some weight and anxiety off my shoulders. We came out to our family, together later that week and we were welcomed with love, acceptance, and support. The unconditional support I received is not normal, but my anxiety around the process was. I am grateful and quite lucky that my initial coming out process to my family was, for lack of a better term, easy. Like many others I don’t experience that same ease everywhere I go. I have been asked to leave restaurants, turned away from stores, spat on multiple times, and even asked to leave mass during service. I am regularly questioned when entering or leaving a women’s public restroom. Michele Bodda, our executive co-sponsor of Experian’s Pride employee resource group, said it perfectly in her message two years ago, “The difficulty some of our LGBT+ colleagues face making daily decisions about where they can be fully present aren’t merely insecurities. They are the realities of being LGBT+.” Let that sink in. Coming out is not a one and done experience, it is something we do over and over throughout our lives. That reality impacts people in different ways, and it’s why acknowledging National Coming Out Day means so much to me – why it means so much to many others. I feel particularly fortunate to work for a company that celebrates and recognizes our uniqueness. I know many people at Experian, like myself, who feel empowered and supported to bring their whole self to work and that reality is assuring, professionally and personally. I have been told I am brave for bringing forth my full authentic self each day. During a time of such global anxiety, uncertainty, and open expressions of intolerance and hatred, being a voice of empowerment, representation, and visibility for folks who do not feel comfortable being out is more important than ever. I’m willing to be a voice so others know they are not alone. Be brave with me. And if you’re not ready, I understand. I’m here for you when you are.

In a world that was already becoming increasingly digital, COVID-19 expedited timelines and turned forecasted projects into immediate needs nearly overnight. I’ve seen this play out in my role at Experian as well as across the financial services industry. Experian was recognized as an innovative company prior to the pandemic and the current environment has only accelerated our ability to innovate. As we surpassed the six month mark adjusting to our new normal, I was invited to join Bloomberg’s Future of Finance: Leveraging Digital Transformation for a Virtual World roundtable discussion with Senior Analyst of Bloomberg Intelligence Julia Chariell and leaders from IBM, Ally Financial, Deutsche Bank and others, to share how we are rising to meet the needs of consumers and lenders during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can find a recap of our conversation here and view the full  video discussion here. We know each American is facing unique COVID-19-related circumstances, so there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. This notion has carried us as we are rising to meet the needs of our clients and consumers during the pandemic. We must allow individuals who can still meet their financial obligations to have access to credit and ensure lenders can identify them. Maintaining and improving financial access for these consumers will play an important role in our road to economic recovery. To continue to lend responsibly, the financial services industry must carefully examine all aspects of consumer financial capability in near real-time – consumer control and consumer-permissioned data play a key role in achieving this. By leveraging accurate data, I believe we have a chance to lessen the impact of the current U.S. economic crisis, extend credit responsibly, and support the hardest-hit consumers as we adjust to a new world post COVID-19.

Identity has always been the cornerstone of the advertising ecosystem; the connective tissue that helps brands create a more relevant experience for consumers. For the past 20-plus years, identity has heavily relied on the third-party cookie. But with the third-party cookie set to become obsolete in the next year and a half, and to a lesser, unknown extent, Apple’s pullback on the identifier for advertisers (IDFA), the industry needs to re-evaluate and adapt.   Without the third-party cookie, identity is a bit more complicated. Consumers engage brands through hundreds of different devices, apps and channels—and with walled gardens and disparate data sources, it’s tough to connect these digital touchpoints together. Add to that, the hundreds of offline interactions consumers have, and the single-customer view is unattainable; at least without the right data resources and partners. With little concrete direction on how to move forward in the post-cookie world, finding the right identity resolution partner can help you connect digital and offline touchpoints and better understand consumers.   Forrester recently released its Now Tech: Identity Resolution, Q3 2020 report, identifying 28 identity resolution providers that can help with identity data management, analysis and measurement. Experian is proud to be included on the list.   These identity resolution products serve a number of different use cases and it is important to select a vendor that you can trust while navigating this dynamic market. The new report states “Marketers must proactively calculate how industry changes impact identity resolution and marketing efforts, evaluate current partners’ ability to accommodate changes, and consider alternative providers and approaches.”  Finding new ways to approach identity resolution is challenging in such a dynamic industry; the path forward likely isn’t rooted in a single identifier. Experian is committed to helping you resolve consumer identities. Our solutions connect consumers at every touchpoint and execute matching in a privacy-compliant manner.  The phase-out of third-party cookies has already changed the advertising industry as we know it. But the deprecation of third-party cookies does not mean then end of people-based advertising; we still need to provide a relevant experience for consumers. The balance between data privacy and security with relevancy is achievable; the right partner can help you get there.  Learn more about how Experian can help you resolve customer identities. 

It’s been an interesting – and inspiring – six months. My short time as part of the Experian family (following the acquisition of MyHealthDirect last year) has exposed me to the extensive capabilities and innovative mindsets this company offers, and that has clearly been on display during the pandemic. It’s been amazing to see what Experian has accomplished in such a short time to turn around tools and resources that can help healthcare organizations better operate in the “new normal.” With our expertise in providing front and back-end technology and data sets that are vital for operating patient engagement, revenue cycle, care and identity management solutions, we felt we were well-suited to address some of the new systematic needs healthcare organizations would face in light of the pandemic. Experian’s mantra is to apply “data for good” and we pressed the gas pedal to leverage what products and data we had that could address COVID-related operational issues. Additionally, we looked to innovate in ways that addressed the needs of our clients. Our efforts produced new, free resources such as the following: Experian COVID-19 Outlook and Response Evaluator (CORE) – this “heat map” is intended to guide healthcare organizations and government agencies as they plan for coronavirus recovery. The map leverages de-identified data such as pre-existing conditions and social determinants of health to form a comprehensive picture that predicts possible pandemic impact on communities. Staffing, supplies, community outreach and facilities planning all benefit from any kind of “advance warning.” Payer Alerts Portal – a free comprehensive list of payer modifications including COVID-19 and telehealth payer policy alerts for United States hospitals, medical groups, pharmacies and specialty healthcare service organizations pulled from reviews of over 52,000 Web pages operated by more than 475 payers. These alerts deliver a comprehensive overview of the latest policy and procedure changes, as well as a link to the source of the payer policy, so providers can quickly make required adjustments, save time and streamline operations. In addition, Experian has helped clients quickly secure remote patient access to portals and scheduling as the pandemic necessitated a quick pivot to “contactless” healthcare. We also worked with our clients to enable their work-at-home transitions, maintaining access and functionality for collections and reimbursement – both for pandemic-related services and as they slowly brought elective procedures back online. And, our revenue cycle management products have served as a critical part of many clients’ focus on recovering revenue lost to the national shutdown. In times of crisis, heroes are more visible. These incredible challenges can bring out the best in people. Working with our healthcare clients every day has left us in awe of those who work tirelessly to take care of COVID-19 patients (and ALL that comes with that role) despite many obstacles. They inspire us and we are forever grateful. To access these resources, visit our COVID-19 Resource Center at https://www.experian.com/healthcare/client-services/covid-19/resource-center.