Priority Health, Kroger unveil co-branded health care plans

A new collaboration will offer Medicare recipients a health care plan with an emphasis on equal access to nutrition.

Grand Rapids-based health insurance provider Priority Health recently announced a collaboration with Kroger Health, the health care division of national retail chain Kroger, to launch two new Medicare health plans.

PriorityMedicare + Kroger (PPO) and PriorityMedicare D-SNP + Kroger (HMO) will provide benefits and services that focus on health and well-being, while addressing health disparities through financial support for groceries and health-related items for eligible members.

"Our collaboration with Priority Health allows us the ability to offer seniors in our Michigan communities access to affordable, high-quality health care services. Additionally, we can provide preventive care using food as medicine through enhanced nutrition and OTC benefits," said Jim Kirby, chief commercial officer for Kroger Health.

Eligible members enrolled in one of these plans will have benefit allowances that can be used at Kroger stores to buy nutritious food as well as health and wellness items. Both plans also offer a no-cost Boost membership which includes fuel points per $1 spent, digital coupons, the ability to order groceries online and next-day grocery delivery.

Priority Health and Kroger are seeking to address the social determinants of health to improve care outcomes for all members by helping to reduce monthly costs for eligible members through financial support for healthy food and wellness items.

"We're excited to offer these co-branded plans with Kroger to our Medicare members in southeast Michigan," said Samia Brown, director of senior markets and product development at Priority Health. "We know nutrition impacts one's health and well-being, especially our senior population. At Priority Health, we're always looking for ways to better serve our members and provide tangible resources and incentives that will help them live their healthiest lives possible."

These new plans will be available in eight southeastern Michigan counties, Genesee, Ingham, Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, Saginaw, Washtenaw and Wayne, beginning in January 2023.

Kroger Health serves over 14 million customers throughout the U.S. with over 2,000 pharmacies and 200 clinics in 35 states. Its team of over 22,000 health care practitioners includes pharmacists, nurse practitioners, dietitians and technicians using a "food as medicine" approach to wellness, an aspect of Kroger Health's care that will play a large role in its new collaboration with Michigan health insurance provider Priority Health.