Cigna's nutrition benefits prioritize healthy habits — at a lower cost

Despite a proven correlation between one's diet and health, organizations don't always consider the role of nutrition benefits in helping employees improve well-being. A new partnership between major players in the wellness space is bringing that support straight to the source. 

Aeroflow Health, a digital health benefits platform, recently partnered with insurance provider Cigna to offer their nutrition support and dietary programs to their network of over 9,000 employers and the employees they serve. The goal is to increase employees' access to more personalized and expansive healthcare solutions they may not be receiving through traditional benefit offerings. 

"Nutrition support is a clear example of a benefit that has historically been overlooked in employer-based plans," says Amanda Minimi, VP of health solution marketing and Operations at Aeroflow Health. "It is often treated as a secondary service rather than a foundational component of health. What it really needs is innovation, investment and energy [from leaders]."

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Through Aeroflow, employees with Cigna will gain access to registered dietitians that can help them address a number of healthcare needs — like weight loss, heart disease, high blood pressure and cholesterol — by adjusting their diet. Aeroflow's registered dieticians will provide users with personalized meal plans and lifestyle tips to help them build sustainable healthy habits for the long term through telehealth appointments that are free of charge and covered by their insurance. 

In addition to providing the employee with support, Aeroflow's program will also provide the healthcare providers under Cigna access to the data and insights they're collecting from users. This helps providers coordinate the right follow-up strategies and hopefully address low adherence rates, which is not only the biggest challenge standard nutrition programs face, but also what keeps employees' health from improving. 

"When nutrition and other foundational healthcare needs are unaddressed, conditions that could be managed or even prevented often progress into more serious and costly issues," Minimi says. "Investing in nutrition services can help prevent downstream costs associated with chronic conditions like diabetes or heart disease." 

Without proactive support, individuals are less likely to take meaningful steps towards wellness, Minimi says. Access to the care employees need typically results in higher healthcare utilization, which in turn addresses some of the hidden costs draining organizations, including absenteeism and low employee engagement.  

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"The return on investment for nutrition support is not just financial," Minimi says. "It shows up in healthier teams, greater productivity and a workforce that feels seen and valued by the benefits being offered." 

Employees have been vocal about the need for broader health and wellness benefits, expressing their desire for organizations to invest in more niche and personalized solutions. If organizations intend to recruit and retain successfully they will need to think outside the box. 

"As organizations seek more holistic approaches to employee wellness, dietary and nutritional benefits should be a core part of the conversation," Minimi says. "Nutrition impacts nearly every aspect of health. Addressing those needs early on is not only a clinical imperative but a strategic investment in the long-term health and performance of your workforce."