FarmboxRx, a nutrition program championing the “Food as Medicine” movement within healthcare, says it will be the first and only national online grocer to accept SNAP/EBT benefits.
The pilot program will enable the Medicare/Medicaid population that FarmboxRx services to supplement the healthy food benefits provided through their health plan with SNAP dollars.
This new program will enable members to keep healthy foods stocked in their homes all month long, regardless of financial or physical access limitations. With nearly 70 percent of all Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries citing food insecurity as their primary social concern, FarmboxRx delivers a sustainable solution that improves health outcomes through refined eating habits.
Food and nutrition insecurity impacts low-income households across America. As it stands, the USDA does not widely accept SNAP/EBT as an online form of payment, limiting households relying on government assistance to shop at nearby brick-and-mortar locations. For individuals with limited mobility or without reliable transportation, that could mean grocery shopping at truck stops, gas stations or convenience stores. In low-income communities, this becomes a serious health concern.
“By only allowing EBT cards to be used at brick-and-mortar retail locations, people who live in areas with limited access to affordable and nutritious food don’t even have the option to eat healthier from a physical or financial standpoint,” said Ashley Tyrner, CEO and founder of FarmboxRx. “Lower-income and minority communities are disproportionately affected by diet-related disease. While many of these illnesses can be prevented or treated through diet and lifestyle changes, the way the healthcare system operates today focuses on treating patients after they reach a chronic state with pharmaceuticals.
“Adding FarmboxRx to the SNAP pilot and enabling members to purchase healthy foods online will open the door to those who otherwise didn’t have access to nutritious foods before and will help break the chronic disease cycle.”
Expanding SNAP benefits to cover food delivery could significantly improve the health status of many Americans, as many common, diet-related health conditions – such as obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease – can be improved through a healthier diet.
New York-based Farmbox Direct launched FarmboxRx in January 2020. FarmboxRx is a total wellness platform that partners with health insurers across the country to improve member health outcomes using food as medicine. Recently approved by the USDA as the only national fresh grocery retailer to accept SNAP/EBT as a form of online payment, FarmboxRx continues to address the socio-economic, geographic and health barriers that prevent people from taking control of their health.
Watch FarmboxRx CEO and founder Ashley Tyrner announce the SNAP/EBT pilot program here.
