IHN-CCO Partners with Foodsmart to Address Food Insecurity and Chronic Disease through Foodcare

Foodsmart, the leader in telenutrition and food benefits management, today announced a new partnership with InterCommunity Health Network Coordinated Care Organization, supporting the shared mission to improve health and quality of life of IHN-CCO members through nutritional support and improved access to healthy food at scale.

In Oregon, the escalating demand for food assistance illustrates the challenges of food insecurity, with organizations like the Oregon Food Bank distributing approximately 42 million meals in the last year amid limited resources. The situation is worsened by climate change, economic downturns, and supply chain issues, driving up the cost of essential goods including healthy foods. The key challenge remains not only in supplying nutritious meals but also in maintaining access to programs that help communities adopt and sustain healthy eating habits.

“In response to the growing challenges Medicaid members face in accessing food and nutrition resources due to rising food prices, IHN-CCO is excited to announce a new partnership with Foodsmart,” said Laurel Schwinabart, IHN-CCO Medicaid program manager. This collaboration aims to offer comprehensive nutrition resources to all IHN-CCO members and provide specially tailored food options for high-risk populations. By working together, we strive to improve food security and overall health outcomes for our community.”

Foodsmart’s proven model connects people with nutrition education from culturally sensitive dietitians alongside tools that help members follow their plan for lasting success. With a network of over 700 dietitians, Foodsmart is well-positioned to support the growing population that has access to IHN-CCO health plans, ensuring comprehensive coverage and personalized dietary guidance for a diverse range of dietary needs and chronic conditions.

"Ensuring access to nutritious food isn’t a business model for us—it’s a moral imperative,” said Jason Langheier, MD, MPH, CEO and founder of Foodsmart. “By powering our foodcare concept with the latest technology and combining it with IHN-CCO’s community-focused approach, we’re igniting a movement towards a healthier, more equitable future in Oregon and beyond.”

Through the partnership, eligible IHN-CCO members will have access to:

• No out-of-pocket access to visits with a personal dietitian who will offer nutrition education, resource guidance, and budget-friendly meal plans to meet their personalized goals
• Personalized nutrition programs for managing weight, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other chronic health conditions with personalized meal plans for an improved quality of life
• The FoodsMART food marketplace, which includes thousands of delicious recipes customized to their cultural preferences, goals, and budget
• $25 in Foodsmart Bucks Grocery Money to be spent at the FoodsMART upon completion of each meeting with their dietitian to address food insecurity
• Support with enrolling in and utilizing community resources like SNAP/EBT benefits

Acknowledging the complexities of dietary behavior and lifestyle change, Foodsmart ensures effortless integration into members’ routines, aiding them in transitioning to and sustaining healthier lifestyle habits. Foodsmart has demonstrated these positive health outcomes in ongoing clinical research:

• At the three-year mark, Foodsmart patients continue losing weight (patients regain weight by 1.5-2 years with traditional programs)
• 33% with obesity lose ~5% weight at 24 months
• 55% of Medicaid members lose 5% of weight at 12 months
• By accessing grocery discounts at local stores and through services like Instacart, patients can price compare – resulting in an average 34% discount on groceries
• 42% of members with food insecurity become food-secure over six months
• Average monthly savings of $33 per member demonstrated in claims savings with Chorus Community Health Plan and other Medicaid plans

For more information on enrolling in and utilizing the benefits of IHN-CCO and Foodsmart partnership, visit: foodsmart.com/members/ihn-cco.

About InterCommunity Health Network Coordinated Care Organization:
IHN-CCO was formed in 2012 as a partnership to improve the health outcomes of the people living in Benton, Lincoln and Linn counties, Oregon. The partnership consists of county governments and their public health, mental health and addiction service departments, local health care providers, federally qualified health centers, community-based organizations and more. IHN-CCO serves more than 80,000 Oregon Health Plan members.

About Foodsmart:
Foodsmart is on a mission to end nutrition insecurity and diet-related chronic disease. With the largest network of outpatient registered dietitians, FoodSMART telenutrition enables members to connect via phone or video to learn about personalized nutrition programs that consider individual health concerns, budget, cultural preferences, and lifestyle needs. Dietitians guide members to buy healthier food they can afford through the AI-enabled FoodsMART food marketplace, which is integrated with all national grocers, the largest restaurant network in the US, and local & national medically tailored food providers. By addressing food insecurity, diabetes, and many more nutrition related conditions, Foodsmart has demonstrated year one cost savings for health plans and employers of $25-$58 per member per month, backed by numerous randomized controlled trials and claims studies. Foodsmart’s programs are also proven to uniquely sustain weight loss that continues even after 3 years, making it a required companion to GLP-1 therapies. Foodsmart’s partnerships with thousands of health plans and employers mean that 99% of its more than 2 million members pay $0 out-of-pocket. To learn more about Foodsmart, visit www.foodsmart.com

Contact Information

Melissa Mowery

Account Director

VSC for Foodsmart

foodsmart@vsc.co