In 2021, St. Tammany Health System launched a multiyear initiative to modernize its benefits program.
Leading this charge for the Covington, Louisiana-based health system was benefits manager Jacalyn Epperson. Over the next four years, Epperson modernized nearly every vendor relationship, elevating her colleagues' experiences across medical, dental, wellness, financial and voluntary benefits.
Her strategic approach to this assignment resulted in a more comprehensive, affordable and accessible benefits package that supports employees physical, emotional and financial well-being.
"As a cancer survivor and former educator, I bring a deeply personal sense of purpose to my work," Epperson said. "I view supporting healthcare colleagues as an act of service to my community — recognizing that their well-being and engagement directly impact the care provided across the region. I believe HR's role is to take care of those who care for others, and I believe my work reflects that commitment every day."
Because of Epperson's efforts, participation in ancillary benefits and retirement plans doubled at St. Tammany Health System. She also expanded voluntary offerings with critical illness, hospital indemnity and accident coverage, and led the transition to company-paid short-term disability,
Within the health system's medical plan, she tackled employee pain points as they surfaced — strengthening pharmacy support, fine-tuning the plan design, and expanding network access to make high-quality care more affordable and easier to access.
"Over the next two years, I am focused on advancing a more seamless and supportive colleague experience through strategic enhancements to our benefits programs," Epperson said. "Key priorities include implementing a more user-friendly leave of absence and ADA administration platform, expanding and strengthening the support available through our employee assistance program and overall wellness offerings, and streamlining workers' compensation reporting and investigations to deliver more timely, actionable insights."
"In addition, I am committed to thoughtfully incorporating AI and modern technology into our benefits and HR processes to create a more intuitive, efficient experience that supports recruitment, retention, and the overall well-being of our workforce," she added.
Jacalyn will be honored at EBN's Benefits at Work conference in September, which you can
