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Excellus BCBS, Foodlink collaborate on food insecurity program
Excellus BCBS, Foodlink collaborate on food insecurity program
Listen to this articleExcellus BlueCross BlueShield has teamed with Foodlink Inc. on a Fresh Account at Curbside Market program.
As part of the pilot project, Excellus BCBS members with the greatest risk of food insecurity and health care needs will receive a monthly $30 voucher for six months to redeem at Foodlink’s participating locations.
The Curbside Market is Foodlink’s mobile farmer’s market, which provides affordable and convenient access to healthy foods in underserved communities.
A new analysis conducted for Excellus BCBS by data science company Algorex Health Technologies identified food insecurity as one of the most prominent needs in Rochester. A separate study by Feeding America shows food insecurity in Foodlink’s 10-county region is expected to rise 45 percent this year due to the pandemic.
“Understanding how social determinants impact our members’ health allows us to provide them with better care,” said Excellus BCBS Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Safety Net and Population Management Brian Steele. “Food insecurity, apart from the pandemic. was identified as a clear need in our community. You need a healthy diet to improve and maintain good health. This seemed to be an area where we could intervene.”
Program participants are connected with nurse care managers who support the members’ health care needs. The care managers help identify gaps in care, encourage the continuation of medical care and identify available community resources. Improving overall health helps reduce emergency department and hospital admissions, officials noted.
“This is an exciting partnership for Foodlink and Curbside Market because it aligns perfectly with our mission as a public health organization,” said Foodlink President and CEO Julia Tedesco. “The Fresh Account program helps people access healthier foods and celebrates making the healthy choice the easy choice. We hope this will improve Excellus BCBS member experience and health outcomes — and lower health care costs.”
The pilot launched Aug. 1 with 250 members and an additional 250 members are expected to be enrolled this year.
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