Humana Foundation rolls out strategy to eliminate barriers to equity

Photo: Marko Geber/Getty Images

The Humana Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Humana, has announced a new strategy to advance health equity by eliminating what it considers unjust and unnecessary barriers in healthcare.

The foundation will invest in community-centered partners and evidence-based programs that support seniors, veterans and school-aged children in living healthy lives. In particular, efforts will focus on creating healthy emotional connections, as part of a more holistic approach to care, and shaping a healthier approach to nutrition in order to support lifelong health and wellbeing.

To jumpstart this effort, the foundation established in October a $7.5 million Health Equity Innovation Fund, which provides seed funding for organizations testing and scaling solutions to address preventable chronic diseases in populations facing inequities.

Inaugural fund recipients include: the UNC (University of North Carolina) Eshelman Institute for Innovation, within the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, and the Community Farm Alliance.

UNC's Eshelman Institute will expand a program that pilots solutions brought forward by Black collegiate entrepreneurs to improve community health and nutrition. Funding for the Community Farm Alliance of Kentucky will identify gaps and best practices in the Food is Medicine program, so more communities can benefit from medically tailored meals and nutrition education and counseling.

WHAT'S THE IMPACT

The Humana Foundation is also building on its $5.5 million investment in regional mental health services in October with new grants totaling more than $8 million toward regional nutrition programs.

This includes three-year grants to the University of Louisville School of Medicine for dietary interventions to improve the heart health of older Black adults; Day to Care, to close gaps in access to nutritious food for seniors in Louisville; FoodCorps, to support the expansion of the organization's nutrition education and free school meals program to Kentucky in 2023 and Louisiana and Texas in the coming years; and Sustainable Food Center, for expanding nutritious cooking classes and related benefits for seniors and youth in Texas.

The Foundation also announced its intention to form the "Humana Foundation Senior Council," which will serve as a "perpetual focus group" and advisory board. The volunteer group will include 8-10 established and emerging community leaders – both seniors 65+ and current high school seniors – recruited from the Foundation's partner network and Humana's employee base.

The Council will "impact and amplify" its health equity focus in target communities, Humana said.

THE LARGER TREND

Last summer, Humana announced it was simplifying its organizational structure and paring itself down into two main units, Insurance Services and CenterWell.

The restructuring follows on the heels of other organizational changes. In April 2022, Humana signed a definitive agreement with private investment firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice to divest a majority interest in Humana's Kindred at Home subsidiary, KAH Hospice.

In June, the company said it was adding 14 states to its ongoing initiative to rebrand the home health division of Kindred at Home as CenterWell Home Health. KAH home health services have already begun transitioning to the CenterWell brand in a number of other states, with Phase 2 bringing the total up to 21 states overall.

Twitter: @JELagasse
Email the writer: Jeff.Lagasse@himssmedia.com