UnitedHealthcare has launched a national partnership with Aeroflow Health to provide virtual nutrition services to members, the companies announced last week.
Asheville, North Carolina-based Aeroflow Health was founded in 2001 and offers an array of medical devices covered by insurance. The company has four lines: Aeroflow Breastpumps, Aeroflow Diabetes, Aeroflow Sleep and Aeroflow Urology. In addition to medical devices, it provides education and consultations. The company has partnerships with more than 1,000 insurance plans.
Through the partnership with UnitedHealthcare, commercial and Medicare patients will be able to access Aeroflow’s medical nutrition therapy program. They’ll receive support from dietitians and virtual counseling services that address a range of topics, including nutrition history, sleep patterns, weight fluctuations, stress, hydration and exercise. The partnership will support members who will “most benefit from dietary guidance,” such as those managing chronic illnesses like diabetes, according to Aeroflow.
This partnership is significant because of its scale, according to Amanda Minimi, VP of health solution marketing and operations at Aeroflow Health. UnitedHealthcare serves over 13.7 million people through its Medicare plans and about 29.7 million people through its commercial plans.
She added that research shows that nutrition programs often struggle to engage patients due to barriers like onboarding issues, long wait times, transportation, childcare restraints and low health literacy.
“For people managing diabetes or navigating pregnancy and postpartum, fragmented benefits and out-of-pocket uncertainty further depress participation, while depressive symptoms, food insecurity, and competing daily priorities make it hard to sustain visits and self-management.” Minimi said in an email. “Aeroflow solves these problems by unifying eligibility, scheduling, [registered dietitian] visits, education, supplies, and outcomes in one digital workflow.”
Nutrition is a key factor in managing and preventing chronic diseases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Currently, chronic illnesses are responsible for about 70% of all U.S. deaths each year. Aeroflow aims to move the needle on this stat by partnering with UnitedHealthcare.
“Our goals are straightforward and measurable: expand timely access to RD-led care across diabetes and maternal health, raise completion of guideline-recommended screenings and self-management tasks, and demonstrate clinically meaningful improvement over time. Because enrollment, engagement, and outcomes are tracked in the same system, families see clear next steps and health plans see clear results,” Minimi said.
Aeroflow has several other partnerships with insurers to provide virtual nutrition support, including Cigna and Blue Cross Blue Shield. There are also various other companies that offer virtual nutrition services, including Culina Health, Season Health and NourishedRx.
Photo: vgajic, Getty Images
