Medicare Advantage meal benefits are expanding as health plans look for new ways to improve member health outcomes and address food insecurity. By combining over-the-counter (OTC) benefits with home-delivered, medically tailored meals, insurers can offer members greater flexibility while supporting ongoing nutritional needs.
InComm Payments’ partnership with GA Foods enables eligible Medicare Advantage members to use their OTC benefit card to purchase SunMeadow® home-delivered meals. The program highlights how integrated healthcare payment solutions can simplify benefit access while helping health plans deliver more personalized, nutrition-focused care.
ATLANTA – December 10, 2020 – InComm Payments, a leading global payments technology company, today announced a new partnership with GA Foods, a leading provider of nutritional meals serving healthcare, Medicaid, Medicare and senior customers, to offer Medicare Advantage health plans a member benefit program for prepared, home-delivered meals with their over-the-counter (OTC) benefit card.
Utilizing this solution, Medicare Advantage health plans will be able to provide their members with an OTC Network benefits card loaded monthly with funds that can be used to purchase GA Foods’ SunMeadow® branded meals. Medicare Advantage members who have been helped through plan-sponsored post-discharge meals or chronic care meals supplemental benefit for a limited duration can now access nutritious and medically tailored meals on an ongoing basis through their OTC card. In addition, Medicare Advantage members who don’t qualify for a post-discharge or chronic care meals benefit can now access delicious home-delivered meals.
Members may order meals and schedule delivery online or by phone and set up automatic reshipment of meals directly with GA Foods. All SunMeadow® meals are designed by a team of dietitians to meet or exceed the unique nutritional needs of older adults and are heart-healthy and diabetic-friendly. An executive chef adds flavor and flair to traditional favorites that appeal to older adults.
These delicious meals are packaged as a Total Meal System™ which includes a loaf of bread and fruit, juice or dessert to support a healthy lifestyle. GA Foods provides nutritionally balanced meals that are appropriate even for those on special diets. Medically tailored meals are available for individuals with diabetes, congestive heart failure/hypertension/chronic renal failure, HIV/wound healing/cancer/surgical recovery, obesity, and dysphagia. Members may also select Kosher, Latin flavors, vegetarian, and breakfast menus.
Powered by InComm Healthcare’s Payments Platform, the OTC Network allows consumers to use health plan-sponsored benefit and incentive dollars to purchase products and services from participating retailers and partners. The most recent addition to this program will enable consumers to apply their funds towards home-delivered meals.
“This initiative will give plan members access to quality nutrition, including meals tailored to specific dietary needs, delivered to their door,” said Brian Parlotto, Executive Vice President at InComm Payments. “The positive impacts of this program are evident for plans and members alike.”
“GA Foods is pleased to partner with InComm Payments to provide nutrition care to the most vulnerable population and support its partners with innovation and unparalleled service,” says Glenn Davenport, president, GA Foods. “Home-delivered meals can significantly improve diet quality, nutrient intake, and reduce food insecurity and nutritional risk.”
With InComm Healthcare’s new multi-wallet card capabilities, health plans can also offer multiple types of purchases on a single card. Purchases may include:
- Over-the-counter (OTC) products in 60,000 retailers
- Mail order and online OTC products
- Healthy foods including home-delivered meals
- Transportation benefits
- Dental, vision and hearing benefits
- Health and wellness incentives
The OTC Network is accepted in-store at over 60,000 retail locations and online through participating retailers’ websites.
The continued evolution of Medicare Advantage meal benefits demonstrates how healthcare payments can support better member experiences beyond traditional retail purchases. By allowing OTC benefit funds to be used for nutritious home-delivered meals, health plans can expand access to essential services while improving convenience and flexibility for eligible members.
As benefit programs become more comprehensive, integrated payment platforms that combine nutrition, wellness, transportation, and other healthcare services on a single card are likely to play an increasingly important role in supporting healthier outcomes for Medicare Advantage members.
