Becker’s Healthcare Podcast: How EmblemHealth is Fighting Food Insecurity and Advancing Community Health

Date: October 26, 2025
Host: Jacob Emerson
Guest: Heather Tamborino, Chief Financial Officer, EmblemHealth

Episode Overview

This episode centers on EmblemHealth’s $2 million investment to combat food insecurity in New York City, and the broader role health plans can play in addressing social determinants of health. Heather Tamborino, the CFO of EmblemHealth, discusses the intersection of financial strategy and social mission, the urgent need for food access, and how the health industry can reimagine its approach to community health.

Key Themes & Discussion Points

1. EmblemHealth’s Community Food Security Initiative

• Background & Purpose
  • EmblemHealth has pledged $2 million to support food security efforts across NYC.
  • The initiative was a response to increased food insecurity observed at EmblemHealth’s 15 neighborhood care centers, especially as federal support programs like SNAP face cuts.
  • EmblemHealth partners with established organizations (The Campaign Against Hunger, New York Common Pantry, City Harvest) and organizes frequent food distribution events, pop-ups, and farmers markets.
  • The centers also offer assistance for a range of social needs (housing, healthcare access, language services).
• Memorable Moment:
  • In Chinatown, a February food distribution saw people lining up around the block by 7am for an 11am event, and all food bags were distributed within 15 minutes.
  • B (Heather Tamborino) [05:05]:

    "When we arrived... at 7am, we already have a line around the block. So if you know New York in February, this is not a pleasant time to be out and about."

2. Data-Driven Urgency

• Rising demand at centers (a 17% year-over-year increase in food insecurity cases among visitors).
• 15% of NYC residents—over 1.2 million people—were food insecure, per the Mayor’s Office.
• EmblemHealth uses internal analytics to link food insecurity with higher rates of chronic disease and increased emergency department use.
• Quote:
  • B [08:49]:

    "Members that are experiencing food insecurity have higher rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension or heart failure. They also show higher ER utilization and avoidable admissions."

3. Industry Perspective: Food as Medicine and Social Determinants of Health

• The healthcare industry is shifting from seeing food insecurity as charity to regarding it as integral to care management and medical cost containment.
• Traditional benefit design alone cannot close health gaps caused by food insecurity; upstream interventions are needed.
• EmblemHealth’s integrated approach includes both clinical care and social support at co-located neighborhood centers.
• Quote:
  • B [10:53]:

    “Investing in food security is an upstream strategy... most importantly, improving the dignity and quality of life of our members. It's a win for everyone.”

4. Building Lasting Public Health Infrastructure

• Comprehensive approach: food access, education, culturally tailored nutrition classes, chronic disease-specific programs, and health literacy.
• Cross-sector collaboration: connecting community affairs, providers, and policymakers for effective and consistent delivery.
• Neighborhood care centers as models for integrating social supports, medical care, and culturally relevant programming.
• The strategy is replicable for any health plan, not just nonprofits, using existing community affairs, data, and provider partnerships.
• Quote:
  • B [14:57]:

    “We really need to be focused on specific concerns as they are emerging... We need to think local and we need to serve local.”

5. Advice to Other Health Plans

• Social determinants of health shouldn't be an add-on but a core feature of benefit design and population health strategy.
• Health equity is a strategic imperative and good business, not charity.
• Encourage others to use their resources and data to create similar “community hub” models and invest in primary care in underserved areas.
• Quote:
  • B [19:30]:

    “Health equity is not charity. It's a strategic imperative and it's good business... We can lift our communities, we can help our members... but we need to do it together and we need to be consistent about it.”

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• B [05:05]:

  “We launched earlier and basically handed out our full complement of food in 15 minutes.”

• B [08:49]:

  “Members that are experiencing food insecurity have higher rates of chronic diseases... and avoidable admissions.”

• B [10:53]:

  “Investing in food security is an upstream strategy... It's a win for everyone.”

• B [14:57]:

  “We need to think local and we need to serve local.”

• B [19:30]:

  “Health equity is not charity. It's a strategic imperative and it's good business.”

Segment Timestamps

• Introduction & EmblemHealth’s mission — [00:00 – 02:11]
• EmblemHealth’s food security investment details — [02:11 – 07:10]
• NYC-wide context & care center model — [07:10 – 08:08]
• Industry evolution & integrating social determinants — [08:08 – 12:22]
• Building lasting public health infrastructure in NYC — [12:22 – 18:21]
• Advice for other health plans — [18:21 – 20:52]

Conclusion: Call to Action

Heather Tamborino emphasizes the necessity of integrating social needs like food security into the fabric of healthcare, challenging other organizations to view such investments as core strategies for better health and business outcomes, not as peripheral charity. She urges health plans and providers to partner, utilize data, and meet local needs consistently to deliver sustainable, equitable health improvements.