Medicaid beneficiaries with diet-related chronic illnesses can receive prescriptions and coupons for fresh produce as a part of a pilot with a Giant Food store in Washington D.C.
The pilot will include 500 patients to start and run through Dec. 31, according to a news release. The hope is to expand the program to encompass more patients in the future.
Participating shoppers can fill their prescriptions at the Giant pharmacy during their weekly shopping trip and get a $20 coupon to shop in the store’s produce department.
“Giant Food is excited to be bringing the Produce Rx program to our local Alabama Avenue store,” Giant Food president Gordon Reid said in the release. “As a food retailer, we recognize the important role we can play in the access to healthy foods and health education, and the program is certainly a natural fit with our ongoing efforts to support the health needs of the communities we serve.”
Partnering with Giant on the program are health plan provider AmeriHealth Caritas DC and healthy food access advocacy organizations DC Greens and DC Health.
“AmeriHealth Caritas DC is committed to helping our members, especially those with chronic health conditions, improve their overall health by adding more fruits and vegetables to their daily diet,” Keith Maccannon, director of community relations and outreach at AmeriHealth Caritas DC, said in the release. “Collaboration with community-based organizations and businesses like DC Greens and Giant Food are a key component of our strategy in this area.”