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WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — With a nine-state geographic footprint and more than 570 retail locations, Hy-Vee has become a convenient point of care for communities across the Midwest.
“As a grocer and pharmacy provider, we are uniquely positioned to reach, engage and support patients in their journey to better health,” said Aaron Wiese, president of Hy-Vee.
Over the past year, Hy-Vee has been leveraging its role as a grocer and a pharmacy to build a Food is Medicine program unlike any other in the industry.
“For years, we’ve employed dietitians, pharmacists and offered specialty items in our HealthMarket departments at Hy-Vee,” said Wiese. “Our new Food is Medicine program combines those services into one comprehensive program that’s affordable and easy for patients to access at their local Hy-Vee.”
Many studies have shown that Food is Medicine-supported programs like Hy-Vee’s can significantly improve individuals’ health while also reducing overall health care expenses for patients and employers.
To support its newest program, Hy-Vee forged a partnership with Soda Health to deliver personalized health and wellness benefits to Medicaid, Medicare and other health insurance beneficiaries. These benefits can be controlled down to the SKU-level to ensure that dollars are only used on products that support a healthy lifestyle.
Individuals who participate in Hy-Vee’s Food is Medicine program can engage in a wide variety of health services including vaccinations, health screenings, in-person or virtual nutritional counseling with a registered dietitian, condition management programs, medication therapy management, smoking cessation, and more. Participants can also easily find fresh and organic produce from their local Hy-Vee, as well as specialty items from Hy-Vee’s HealthMarket departments.
Most recently, Wiese and his team have been developing a collection of medically tailored meals to help support heart health, as well as those living with diabetes.
Additionally, Hy-Vee’s health care leaders have taken a new approach to help connect individuals with products that can support their health journey. The retailer recently added product displays in stores that feature a curated collection of products recommended by pharmacists and dietitians to help manage GLP-1 medication side effects as usage of the medication continues to increase.
Hy-Vee has also been focusing its Food is Medicine efforts in the community. This spring, the retailer fulfilled its commitment to educating 100,000 Americans in low food access areas on healthy eating and nutrition, as well as providing 30 million meals to vulnerable communities. These commitments were first announced by Hy-Vee at the 2022 White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health, and the retailer accomplished both goals well ahead of its target date by utilizing its team of registered dietitians and fleet of mobile health units.
While Food is Medicine has been a large focus of the retailer’s, Hy-Vee has also continued growing across other areas of health care.
Hy-Vee’s pharmacy benefit manager, Vivid Clear Rx, continues to gain market share and disrupt the industry with its transparent pricing model that passes all rebates it secures through to its clients. Most recently, the PBM teamed up with Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company to increase access to low-priced prescriptions for Vivid Clear Rx members.
In early 2024, Hy-Vee announced that it would become a joint owner of Exemplar Care — now known as Hy-Vee Health Exemplar Care — a direct primary care and urgent care medical practice based in Iowa. This practice was uniquely designed to reduce costs for patients and employers using a fixed monthly health care membership with a full range of personalized services.
On the digital front, Hy-Vee’s online pharmacy and telehealth company RedBox Rx recently launched online talk therapy services to make it easier for patients to connect with a licensed therapist remotely and discreetly. The service requires no subscription and offers a pay-as-you-go pricing model.
It’s programs and partnerships like these that continue to make Hy-Vee and its subsidiaries a notable innovator to watch as the health and wellness market continues to grow.
