Beginning January 1, 2021, Elevance Health offered eligible members access to a grocery benefit through a select commercial employer led health plan. Members meeting household income eligibility criteria could receive annual grocery assistance ranging from $1,200 to $3,000 depending on household size and could receive the benefit for as long as they were eligible.
The grocery benefit was delivered through a grocery benefits card that could be used at a broad network of participating retailers. Eligible purchases included fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, dairy products, meats, fish, breads, cereals, and cooking oils. Alcohol, tobacco products, and prepared foods were excluded.
The intervention was intentionally designed as a scalable Food as Medicine model that required minimal ongoing program involvement. Unlike other evidence-based and impactful medically tailored meal programs, these members maintained more flexibility and choice in food purchasing while receiving financial support to improve access to more nutritious foods.
The program was developed and implemented through a collaboration between Elevance Health and Carelon Research. Researchers used administrative claims data and health plan enrollment information to evaluate outcomes among members with diabetes who enrolled in the grocery benefit plan compared with eligible members who did not enroll.
