Humana partners with Walmart to offer low-cost, healthy foods

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Humana is launching a first-of-its-kind program with Wal-Mart stores throughout the country to help make healthful foods more affordable for its members.

The program, billed as "preventative care in its purest form," will allow members of Humana's healthy rewards program, HumanaVitality, to receive a 5 percent credit toward healthy foods sold at Walmart stores, Reuters reported.

"Price is an important factor in incentivizing wellness in America," John Agwunobi, Walmart's president of health and wellness, said yesterday in a statement. In fact, a recent Humana survey showed that 84 percent of respondents would buy healthier foods as part of a savings program.

"We will be aggressively communicating this program to more than 600,000 hospitals and physicians, as well as 60,000 insurance brokers to ensure as many members as possible can benefit from it," said HumanaVitality CEO Joe Woods.

Foods eligible for the credits under the Vitality HealthyFood program must limit added fats and sugars and also must include healthy nutrients like fiber, according to Food-Navigator USA. Examples of foods included in the program are fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meat, skim milk and brown rice.

For now most of the foods meeting the program's criteria come from private-label brands such as Great Value and Marketside, but branded foods are expected to be included in the program next year, Drug Store News reported.

To learn more:
- read the Reuters article
- see the Food-Navigator USA article
- check out the Drug Store News article
- here's the Humana, Wal-Mart statement

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