Instacart and Mount Sinai Solutions Launch Grocery Benefit for Patients

Instacart has partnered with Mount Sinai Solutions to launch a new grocery benefit program for post-operative and postpartum patients.

This program aims to support patients in accessing fresh groceries, pantry staples and household essentials following major life events such as birth or surgery, the companies said in a Wednesday (Oct. 4) press release.

Through this partnership, patients insured by a health plan sponsored by a Mount Sinai Solutions employer or union customer will receive $110 in Fresh Funds while recovering, according to the release. These funds can be used to pay for the delivery of groceries and essential items through Instacart. Patients will also have access to a tailored Mount Sinai Virtual Storefront, which allows for easy shopping and delivery of provider-recommended goods from local, regional and national retailers.

The partnership between Instacart and Mount Sinai Solutions is designed to enhance the patient experience and provide a seamless and simplified health benefits ecosystem, the release said. Mount Sinai Solutions said it offers access to care and services that improve patient outcomes while reducing costs associated with re-admittance or emergency room visits.

Sarah Mastrorocco, vice president and general manager of Instacart Health, said in the release that Instacart’s reach and technology create access programs that address real patient challenges. Instacart’s platform offers patients the flexibility to use their health benefits to purchase groceries that meet their unique tastes, needs and budgets, she said.

Lauren Lisher, senior vice president of specialty care and partnerships at Mount Sinai Solutions, added that the robust grocery delivery solution created by this partnership will provide nourishing foods and essentials needed for a smooth recovery after hospital discharge. 

In another recent development in this space, Kroger Health partnered with Performance Kitchen in September to offer medically tailored meals that meet the specific needs of people with health conditions like diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Three months earlier, in June, Uber Health announced that it was adding healthy foods and over-the-counter medications to its platform, enabling payers and providers to have these items delivered to patient homes via the same platform they already use for non-emergency medical transportation and prescription delivery.