Molina Healthcare of Michigan Partners with Instacart to Address Food Insecurity for Expectant Moms
Media Contact: Ben Jackey, Ben.Jackey@molinahealthcare.com, (502) 377-9484
LANSING, Mich., Nov. 19, 2024 – Molina Healthcare of Michigan (“Molina”) has created a program in partnership with Instacart providing 600 pregnant plan members with Instacart+ memberships and Instacart Health Fresh Funds grocery stipends to increase healthy food access to reduce birth outcome disparities. Through the program, expectant moms identified as facing food insecurity receive 18 months of Instacart+, offering online grocery shopping and free delivery from grocers on Instacart for pre-selected members identified as having specific social needs. The partnership is a part of Molina’s multi-faceted effort to improve equity for underserved populations throughout Michigan.
A study on preterm births and food insecurity found pregnant women who live more than 1.5 miles from a supermarket are three times more likely to have a child with low birth weight. Study participants said shopping habits were based more on convenience than food quality. The Instacart+ membership allows Molina members to enjoy both convenience and access to healthy options.
“Our Instacart partnership is an important investment in Molina members as we believe all children deserve a healthy start to life and that begins with a healthy mom,” said Terrisca Des Jardins, plan president for Molina Healthcare of Michigan. “Reducing disparities in health outcomes is a top priority and this offering, combined with healthy menus and recipes informed by Molina’s registered dieticians, fosters good eating habits that benefit both mother and child.”
“Through our partnership with Molina, we’re making healthy eating more accessible, affordable, and convenient for expectant moms facing food insecurity,” said Sarah Mastrorocco, vice president and general manager of Health at Instacart. “Instacart provides families with access to same-day delivery of fresh groceries from trusted local retailers and offers tools that make expert nutrition guidance from health leaders like Molina easy to follow and shop from. We’re proud to support this initiative, using technology to help moms adopt healthier habits that benefit both their own well-being and the health and development of their babies.”
In addition to the Instacart+ membership, selected members will also receive monthly $100 Fresh Funds stipends for the first nine months of the program to use for nutritious foods from retailers on Instacart. Members can combine their Fresh Funds, SNAP benefits, and personal funds at checkout when purchasing their groceries online.
Molina’s Instacart program is part of the grocery technology company’s Instacart Health initiative, designed to improve nutrition security, make healthy choices easier, and scale food as medicine programs to support public health. Instacart has tools to help members manage pre- and post-natal health through nutrition access and education.
About Molina Healthcare of Michigan
Molina Healthcare of Michigan, Inc. provides government-funded, quality health care, serving members through Medicaid, Medicare, and Marketplace programs in Michigan. Through its locally operated health plans, Molina Healthcare, Inc., a Fortune 500 company, provides managed health care services under the Medicaid and Medicare programs, and through state insurance marketplaces. For more information about Molina Healthcare of Michigan, visit MolinaHealthcare.com.
About Instacart
Instacart, the leading grocery technology company in North America, works with grocers and retailers to transform how people shop. The company partners with more than 1,500 national, regional, and local retail banners to facilitate online shopping, delivery and pickup services from more than 85,000 stores across North America on the Instacart Marketplace. Instacart makes it possible for millions of people to get the groceries they need from the retailers they love, and for approximately 600,000 Instacart shoppers to earn by picking, packing and delivering orders on their own flexible schedule. The Instacart Platform offers retailers a suite of enterprise-grade technology products and services to power their e-commerce experiences, fulfill orders, digitize brick-and-mortar stores, provide advertising services, and glean insights. With Instacart Ads, thousands of CPG brands – from category leaders to emerging brands – partner with the company to connect directly with consumers online, right at the point of purchase. With Instacart Health, the company is providing tools to increase nutrition security, make healthy choices easier for consumers, and expand the role that food can play in improving health outcomes. For more information, visit www.instacart.com/company, and to start shopping, visit www.instacart.com. Maplebear Inc. is the registered corporate name of Instacart.
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