Food For Health partners with iCare to address hypertension, type 2 diabetes

Humana funding supports program for Milwaukee Health Services Clinic patients

MILWAUKEE, Nov. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Managing hypertension and type 2 diabetes is challenging under any circumstance, but increasingly so for residents of underserved communities.

To address this challenge, Food For Health is partnering with Humana-subsidiary Independent Care Health Plan, or iCare, to provide Medically Tailored Meal programming for Medicaid members who are patients of Milwaukee Health Services Clinics. The services include FFH's medically tailored meals addressing specific diet-related disease supported by health coaching, well-being services and education.

iCare is a managed care organization providing Medicaid and Medicare insurance benefits to people with disabilities and low incomes.

Today's announcement coincides with World Diabetes Day, a global awareness campaign around the growing concerns of the escalating health threats of diabetes. The world's largest diabetes awareness campaign, it reaches a global audience of more than one billion people in more than 160 countries. 

FFH President and CEO Kathy Koshgarian said the meals are tailored by registered dieticians to address recipients' diet-related disease diagnoses.

"Think of medically tailored meals as a food prescription. The meals are further supported by technologies, biometric screenings, and coach-directed nutrition and lifestyle education," said Koshgarian. "Our patient-centric program is proven to reverse, manage and prevent diet-related disease including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and maternal health concerns, specifically gestational diabetes and preeclampsia."

In addition to benefiting the participant, the coaching and lifestyle education create a ripple effect, fostering lasting positive changes for their family, friends and community. Beyond improving quality of life, these healthier lifestyles contribute to a reduction in the overall cost of health care. 

"We are committed to improving health outcomes in underserved communities; access to healthy, nourishing food is critical in overcoming many social determinants of health," said iCare President Tony Mollica. "By partnering with Food For Health and supporting its patient-centered care model for fresh medically tailored meals, we can help our members manage diet-related conditions while improving the health of the communities we serve."

iCare and Milwaukee Health Services' MLK Heritage Health Center identify members who meet the enrollment criteria. Abhishek "Andy" Ticku, head of Quality & Patient Safety for Milwaukee Health Services Clinic, looks forward to the positive impact of this partnership.

"This project primarily involves our patients diagnosed with hypertension and type 2 diabetes. These two diet-related conditions have a high prevalence rate in the community we serve. Any project that benefits our patients and the community at large is of paramount importance to us," said Ticku.

He expects streamlined coordination through the partnership because they serve the same community. "It's located just a few blocks away from our flagship location. FFH understands the needs and challenges of our patients and, like us, is committed to the success and health of our community."

About Milwaukee Health Services:
Milwaukee Health Services, Inc. is a private, non-profit Federally Qualified Community Health Center. MHSI provides a comprehensive range of primary medical, dental, podiatry, and behavioral healthcare, in addition to a limited number of specialty services. With experience serving low-income populations since 1989, MHSI is committed to removing barriers and improving health outcomes to promote quality of life and reduce disparities among racial and ethnic communities.

About Food For Health
Food For Health is a 501c3 public charity and community-based organization disrupting diet-related disease through a comprehensive Medically Tailored Meal (MTM) program. As the only MTM provider in the state of Wisconsin, we've joined forces with other like-minded organizations across the nation as part of the Food Is Medicine Coalition to realize our vision of creating equitable access to healthy and happy lives through the power of food.

SOURCE Food For Health, Food Benefit Company