MILWAUKEE, Aug. 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The COVID-19 pandemic exposed and exacerbated an existing problem: too many Americans deal with insufficient access to quality food. Meanwhile, over 50% of Americans are suffering from at least one chronic disease that can be directly linked to poor nutrition, a problem that will expand due to weight gain during COVID. That's why Children's Community Health Plan (CCHP) is pleased to announce a new partnership with Foodsmart, the personalized telenutrition and foodcare leader, to sustainably overcome food insecurity and help the more than 165,000 Medicaid and Marketplace members and their families afford quality foods they enjoy.
Intensifying levels of food and nutrition insecurity disproportionately impact lower income and diverse communities, while poor nutrition remains the leading driver of disability and healthcare costs in America. The Urban Institute found that food insufficiency rates among these populations were more than three times as high as white populations, reaching the highest point in seven years.
Through CCHP, Foodsmart can now help to address this urgent need.
"Food is medicine and critical to our health, yet the act of feeding ourselves and our families can be stressful, complicated and expensive," said Jason Langheier, MD, MPH, the CEO and Founder of Foodsmart. "Foodsmart takes the guesswork out of quality, affordable food buying in line with specific health needs in an accessible, dignified and culturally relevant manner — making it the nutrition solution for individuals and families nationwide."
Foodsmart promotes health equity with its highly personalized telenutrition service and the largest national network of registered dietitians designed to support lasting changes to eating behavior, leading to sustainable weight loss and improved health outcomes.
Foodsmart combines this network with tailored meal planning tools and the most broadly integrated food marketplace to make eating well simple and affordable for individuals and families. Foodsmart helps families sustain eating well by leveraging grocery price comparisons and discounts, while convenient features help cooking with these foods easier. The user-friendly digital platform is not about counting calories but making food buying easier, healthier and more sustainable for the long run.
Additionally, SNAP benefits can now be used online through Foodsmart via partners like Walmart, Amazon and local grocers via Instacart. Customers can even browse current local store specials on healthy food, without advertisements from processed food makers.
"Foodsmart not only makes nutritious food accessible for the first time to many of our members, but it also ensures they are paying lower costs and have dieticians educating them and helping them with positive behavior changes to benefit their everyday lives," said Mark Rakowski, Chief Operating Officer, CCHP.
Foodsmart's 'foodscripts' guide members to clinically validated diets to sustainably and cost-effectively overcome chronic diseases through improved eating behavior, a program that seamlessly integrates with targeted, high-ROI disease management initiatives.
Health plans can also target these food insecure families with ROI validated directed spend for healthy food.
Foodsmart features also include:
- Meal kits and medically tailored 'heat & eat' meal delivery
- Virtual healthy food cards
- SNAP friendly recipes
- Use of SNAP or WIC, or subsidies together
- SNAP enrollment support
- Convenient CookItNow feature offering recipe recommendations based on food that members might already have on-hand.
With Foodsmart's engaging and empowering content delivered in a safe and secure platform, CCHP strives to contribute to the long-term health of its members.
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About Foodsmart
Foodsmart is eating well made simple. We are the world's largest telenutrition and foodcare solution, backed by a national network of Registered Dietitians and designed to yield consistently healthier food choices, lasting behavior change and long-term results. Foodsmart's highly personalized, digital platform guides members through a personalized journey to eating well while saving them time and money. Foodsmart seamlessly integrates dietary assessments and nutrition counseling with online food ordering and cost-effective meal planning for the whole family that makes the most of ingredients at home and on the go. With national and regional retail partners in more than 48 states now accepting SNAP/EBT, Foodsmart helps bring healthier food within reach to eligible members and can also assist with SNAP enrollment. Learn more at www.foodsmart.com.
About Children's Community Health Plan
Children's Community Health Plan (CCHP), an affiliate of Children's Wisconsin, is an HMO dedicated to providing access to the highest quality health care and services to our members living in Wisconsin. We are proud to serve over 160,000 members between our two products, Medicaid and Marketplace. Learn more at https://childrenscommunityhealthplan.org/cchp.
SOURCE Foodsmart
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