Point32Health Teams Up with Cambridge Health Alliance and Good Measures to Offer Food Prescription Program
Eligible members receive no-cost groceries delivered via Instacart and nutrition counseling based on health needs, food preferences, and cultural considerations.
Canton and Boston, Mass., May 1, 2024 — Point32Health, the parent company of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan, Cambridge Health Alliance and Good Measures are piloting an innovative food prescription and nutrition coaching program to eligible members who are part of the Point32Health and Cambridge Health Alliance Accountable Care Organization (Tufts Health Together with CHA). The initiative is designed to support members who have or are at risk of a diet-related disease due to food insecurity.
“At Point32Health, we are actively engaged in developing programs and offering services that work to address social determinants of health,” said Glenn Pomerantz, MD, JD, chief medical officer, Point32Health. “We are thrilled to collaborate with Cambridge Health Alliance and Good Measures on this program to assist patients with diet-related diseases in accessing nutritious food to help them lead healthier lives.”
As part of the pilot, members participating in the Good Measures Good Food PrescriptionTM program receive medically tailored, culturally appropriate groceries delivered to their homes via Instacart and nutrition counseling at no cost to them.
“Providing food as medicine has a profound impact on our clients, many of whom have complex health needs and may also be experiencing food insecurity,” said Wilfred S. McCalla, Jr., MSW, PMP, senior director, population health network and program management for Cambridge Health Alliance. “Offering the opportunity for no-cost nutrition counseling and healthy food customized to their needs delivered to their door is a winning combination and has demonstrated that clients’ diet-related chronic conditions – such as diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases -- have shown improvement. This program is particularly impactful because of its duration, a minimum of six months, and participants can re-enroll for another six months. We are pleased to work with Good Measures and Point32Health to help improve the health outcomes of our community members.”
Eligible members participating in the program receive:
Nutrition Counseling to Improve Health Outcomes: Members are paired with a Good Measures registered dietitian coach who provides personalized nutrition counseling based on their health goals, health conditions, lifestyle, and food preferences. Members check in with their coach by phone, app messaging, or texting to get support, answers to their questions, and advice for overcoming barriers to eating well.
Personalized Food Prescription Program: The Good Measures technology generates condition-specific, culturally relevant, and easy to prepare recipes based on the foods a member enjoys. The recipes are then translated by the Good Measures nutrition engine into shopping lists for online ordering through Instacart, and groceries are delivered to a member’s home twice per month. The program also provides kitchen supplies as needed.
Ongoing Feedback and Goal Setting: The Good Measures app provides feedback on food choices and helps guide members on their health journey with goal setting and tracking tools. Members can join online classes, access relevant articles and videos, and receive tailored meal and snack suggestions and recipe recommendations.
The pilot is a continuation of an ongoing collaboration between Cambridge Health Alliance and Good Measures around nutrition counseling and education.
“The combination of one-to-one clinical coaching, medically tailored grocery deliveries, and our personalized digital tools positively impact health outcomes, increase engagement, and address social determinants of health,” said Donna K. Lencki, chief executive officer of Good Measures. “The Good Food PrescriptionTM program is improving access to nutritious food, and early results are showing promising health outcomes.”
Point32Health recently received its full health equity accreditation through the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for both Tufts Health Public Plans and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care commercial plans. The organization’s health equity vision is that all people have the opportunity to attain their full health potential, and no one is disadvantaged from achieving this potential because of social position or any other socially defined circumstances.
###
About Point32Health
Point32Health is a leading, nonprofit health and wellbeing organization, delivering a better health care experience to our members and the communities we serve. One of the top twenty health plans in the United States, Point32Health builds on the quality of our founding organizations, Tufts Health Plan and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care.
At Point32Health, we believe that everyone should have equitable access to affordable, high-quality health care, regardless of their age, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, orientation, gender identity or ability. We offer a diverse range of health plans that help improve the health and wellness of the 2 million members we serve. Every day, we work to deliver on our purpose of guiding and empowering healthier lives for everyone.
About CHA
Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA) is a vibrant, innovative health system dedicated to providing equity and excellence for everyone, every time. With over 140,000 patients in Boston’s metro-north region, CHA is proud to offer the health care people need most in their lives.
About Good Measures
Good Measures is transforming the interface between prescriptive nutritionTM and health management. With licensed clinicians in all 50 states, the company combines clinical coaching, proprietary technology, and personalized food prescriptions to positively impact health outcomes and address social determinants of health. Good Measures is a strategic partner to health plans, government programs including Medicare and Medicaid, employers, providers, and care management companies.
###