Dive Brief:
- Instacart announced Thursday it has started offering grocery delivery to members of various health plans through a partnership with NationsBenefits, a provider of supplemental benefits and fintech healthcare solutions.
- Eligible members can use their health plan-sponsored funds distributed via NationsBenefits’ benefits card to buy groceries and pantry staples for same-day delivery through Instacart.
- The partnership is the latest among Instacart’s growing roster of accepted health plans as the company expands payment acceptance for groceries and over-the-counter items.
Dive Insight:
The NationsBenefits partnership builds out the Instacart Health Wallet, which has a growing list of benefits, such as SNAP and virtual stipends, that consumers can use to pay for items on the grocery technology company’s marketplace.
Through a portal on NationsBenefits, eligible members can use their grocery benefits to purchase Instacart’s virtual grocery stipends, known as Fresh Funds. The members then use the Fresh Funds to pay for their groceries.
The NationsBenefits Virtual Storefront on Instacart allows those members to select their preferred grocer and add items to their basket.
Eligible health plans that use NationsBenefits include Medicare Advantage, Medicaid and other commercial plans. Members will have access to more than 85,000 stores available on Instacart, which serves more than 95% of North American households.
“[W]e believe that [the partnership] will not only help improve the overall health and quality of life for the communities we serve, but will also mark a significant step forward in redefining the intersection of healthcare and convenience,” NationsBenefits CEO Glenn Parker, MD said in a statement.
In February, Southeastern Grocers announced a tie-up with NationsBenefits to allow select shoppers to purchase approved healthy groceries and over-the-counter items. Publix has also recently announced a partnership with NationsBenefits.
