April 4, 2024
Aging Americans Can Now Use Digital Credits for Home Grocery Delivery
AUSTIN, Texas – November 23, 2021 – The Helper Bees (THB), a full-service insurtech company that creates innovative aging-in-place solutions for both payers and insureds, announced a partnership with same-day delivery company Shipt that brings groceries and household essentials to the homes of Medicare Advantage (MA) and Long Term Insurance (LTCI) policyholders nationwide.
MA and LTCI policyholders whose carrier partners with The Helper Bees, now have two options for ordering groceries delivered to their home by Shipt shoppers. The policyholder can either choose to order groceries directly through their own free Shipt membership, which offers free delivery on orders more than $35, or they can call their THB Care Concierge to request help placing the order on their behalf. Beginning January 1, 2022, some MA plans are also allowing their members to order services through a digital wallet of credits managed by THB which the member can spend on a range of in-home supports – now to include grocery delivery through Shipt.
As Medicare Advantage plans consider how to best structure their supplemental benefits, there is an increasing focus on diversifying the offerings to better meet the needs of the growing number of older adults who want to age in place. Through its acquisition of healthAlign earlier this year, The Helper Bees is convening thousands of credentialed providers – including in-home care, meals and nutritional support, home modification, pest control, and more – all onto a single platform. The company’s network, which covers administrative, credentialing, reimbursement and quality control functionality, enables plans to offer a broader range of aging-in-place services while also allowing the insured the ability to access a user-friendly “one-stop-shop” that supports their independence at home.
“Technology simplifies life, even for those who aren’t comfortable using technology,” said Andy Friedell, healthAlign Founder and CEO. “Bringing the ‘store to your door’ with this Shipt partnership extends our vision to build a platform that supports the future of aging for all Americans. Giving members the option to access this powerful tool with the help of The Helper Bees’ Care Concierge opens up the service to everyone.”
“Access to fresh food and over-the-counter medications is critical to meeting seniors’ health needs, and we’re proud our unique partnership with The Helper Bees removes barriers to getting them,” said Rina Hurst, Chief Business Strategy Officer at Shipt. “Seniors can count on Shipt Shoppers to search local store aisles and bring essential items quickly and safely right to their door, without any additional cost to them.”
About The Helper Bees
The Helper Bees (THB) is an insurtech company delivering solutions that allow older adults to successfully age in place. THB is focused on conscientious member engagement and is backed by a robust regulatory platform powered by healthAlign, a company pioneering supplemental benefit administration in Medicare Advantage. This unique combination of service and technology provides the infrastructure needed for payers to access, deploy, and scale quality non-medical services into the home, thereby transforming independent aging for millions of Americans.
About Shipt
Shipt brings the store to your door. Through a community of Shipt Shoppers and a convenient app, Shipt provides personal shopping and delivery and is available to 80% of households in more than 5,000 U.S. cities. Shipt Shoppers go above and beyond, communicating in real time about preferences and substitutions. A curated marketplace of retailers, Shipt offers access to a variety of stores and product categories including fresh foods, household essentials, wellness products, office and pet supplies. Shipt is an independently operated, wholly owned subsidiary of Target Corp. Founded and headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, Shipt also maintains an office in San Francisco.