Instacart integrates with Medicare, Medicaid plans
Instacart is increasing its offerings for seniors.
The grocery technology company, which introduced Instacart Health, an initiative designed to promote access to healthy grocery and produce items, in September 2022, will have Instacart grocery benefits offered through Medicare Advantage plans from Alignment Health starting in 2024.
This new supplemental health benefit will be delivered to Alignment Health Medicare Advantage members through their health benefit payment cards. And through a new technical integration with payments provider InComm Payments, Instacart customers will soon be able to pay for grocery orders with supplemental health benefit cards.
This means members of participating Medicare Advantage, Medicaid and other eligible programs can use plan-sponsored funds to purchase eligible groceries, wellness products, and over-the-counter medications for delivery via Instacart. The new integration allows seniors to use a variety of payment types on Instacart, including both health benefits and Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP).
Instacart also offers a Senior Support Service, available to customers over the age of 60, with a dedicated team of specialists who can help set up Instacart accounts and place orders for seniors who may need additional assistance.
“Through partnerships and innovative health plans, we can make grocery delivery via Instacart available for health plans to offer as a supplemental benefit,” Sarah Mastrorocco, VP and GM of Health for Instacart, said in a corporate blog post. “And by offering more payment options, seniors will have even more flexibility and control over how they pay for their groceries. By tapping the power of Instacart technology and working closely with partners across industries, we are helping seniors overcome some of the biggest barriers to their health and well-being.”
Instacart builds on health offering with technology, ad solutions
Other steps Instacart has taken to expand the Instacart Health program in 2023 include rolling out new technologies for health care providers, and introducing new advertising capabilities for produce brands
In collaboration with the White House, Instacart released the Instacart Health product suite for health care providers. Through Instacart Health, the company is providing tools to build virtual food pharmacies and deliver nutrition advice to patients.
Instacart also introduced a new online advertising capability that enables produce brands, farms and agricultural organizations to advertise weighted items on Instacart. This includes fresh foods that are typically found in the produce aisle, like carrots, grapes, onions, oranges, broccoli, and sweet potatoes.
The company developed algorithms to map these items back to brands and advertising partners. The ad capability is available for all random weight foods, including fresh vegetables, fruits, meats, cheeses, nuts, and deli items.
Packaged produce advertisers can leverage the full Instacart advertising platform including sponsored product, display, shoppable video, promotions, and impulse ads. Instacart is currently working with produce brands and agriculture boards during the pilot stages of random weight advertising, with general availability rolling out over the coming weeks.
Instacart began offering CPG brands targeted access to its customers in October 2021 and launched a self-service search ad platform in 2020.