- / Oct 03, 2024 / Business Wire / UnitedHealthcare today announced a $335,000 commitment in funding to Idaho organizations to help close gaps in care among underserved communities, including people in rural areas, individuals with chronic conditions and seniors.

“Expanding programs for caregivers, community health workers and providers allows us to address unmet health needs more effectively, helping to ensure that underserved communities access high-quality care and social services they need,” said Dr. Alex Billioux, Government Programs Chief Medical Officer, UnitedHealthcare. “By equipping our health care workers with the necessary resources and training, we can help improve health outcomes and quality of life for all Idahoans.”

Idahoans have experienced increasing food insecurity¹ and 10% of the adult population annually report living with diabetes.² Additionally, Idaho ranks 38^th for availability of primary care physicians and 33^rd for availability of mental health providers nationally.³

Organizations supported through this commitment include:

• Alzheimer's Association (Greater Idaho Chapter and Washington State Chapter) and Idaho Caregiver Alliance ($60,000) to train 500 Direct Care Workers on Alzheimer's essentials to improve care for individuals with memory-related conditions.
• Area Agency on Aging of North Idaho ($35,000) to expand transportation options in rural Northern Idaho, allowing individuals to choose the transportation options that best suit their needs.
• Centers for Independent Living (Disability Action Center Northwest, Living Independence Network Corporation and LIFE, A Center for Independent Living) ($25,000) to expand access to assistive technologies and durable medical equipment to constituents through its “loan libraries” and build capacity on self-direction, a long-term care service delivery model which empowers people to maintain independence at home and control the support they receive.
• Diabetes Alliance of Idaho ($50,000) to support innovative diabetes prevention programs for older adults in Hispanic or American Indian communities.
• Idaho Caregiver Alliance ($30,000) to the Family Caregiver Navigator to support their efforts to connect caregivers with local resources, like respite care, to enhance the caregiver’s quality of life.
• Idaho State University ($50,000) to increase access to health care for members of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes by supporting an apprentice serving tribe members while completing a certified Community Health Representative program.
• Southwest Idaho Area Agency on Aging ($20,000) to enhance access to the "Living Well with Diabetes" program to teach individuals with diabetes and their caregivers about healthy living with chronic health conditions.
• Western Idaho Community Health Collaborative ($50,000) to implement its Regional Health Implementation plan, including promoting findhelpidaho.org, a website which connects Idahoans with social care and community resources, especially in rural areas.
• The Idaho Food Bank ($15,000) to pilot a program where food delivery personnel offer companionship and social interaction to address both food insecurity and social isolation.

“With UnitedHealthcare’s generous support, we can significantly enhance our efforts to provide equitable diabetes prevention programs, particularly for older adults and underserved communities,” said Dorothy Plaza, chair, Diabetes Alliance of Idaho (DAI). “This funding will implement and expand evidence-based programs, ultimately helping reduce the impact of diabetes across Idaho.”

UnitedHealthcare serves more than 160,000 members enrolled in employer-sponsored, individual and Medicare plans in Idaho, with a network of 50 hospitals and over 12,000 physicians and other care providers statewide. For more information on how UnitedHealthcare is working to build healthier communities across Idaho, visit uhccs.com/id.

About UnitedHealthcare

UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and making the health system work better for everyone by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. In the United States, UnitedHealthcare offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with more than 1.7 million physicians and care professionals, and 7,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. The company also provides health benefits and delivers care to people through owned and operated health care facilities in South America. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group, a diversified health care company. For more information, visit UnitedHealthcare at www.uhc.com or follow UnitedHealthcare on LinkedIn.

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1} https://idahofoodbank.org/feeding-americas-annual-map-the-meal-gap-report-shows-increase-in-food-insecurity/
² https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/health-wellness/diseases-conditions/diabetes
³ https://assets.americashealthrankings.org/app/uploads/allstatesummaries-ahr23.pdf