PHOENIX (July 17, 2026) -- For Amber Marie Reyes and others managing their disease often comes down to what they can afford to eat. A Banner Health-sponsored program that includes a nutrition and food care platform is changing the lives of people like Reyes in an excellent example of Banner’s impact on the community it serves.
The effort, under Banner’s Medicaid program, connects Banner members with registered dietitians who provide free nutrition counseling to help manage diabetes, hypertension and other chronic health conditions. A video illustrating the program with Reyes can be found here https://www.bannerhealth.com/medicaid/community-impact/foodsmart.
Medicaid in Arizona is the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System.
“One of our priorities at Banner is addressing chronic disease,” said Sarah Spiekermeier, chief executive officer and executive director of Medicaid for Banner – University Family Care. “This program is one of the best examples of finding ways to help people get healthier and stay healthier so they don’t have multiple issues as they age which always complicates care.”
At one point, Amber weighed nearly 400 pounds. Along with having heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, she depended on oxygen to help her breathe. Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at age 5, Amber also faces health obstacles including limited range of movement. She uses a mobility scooter to get around.
“I was depressed and eating constantly,” Amber recalls. “But after a while, I didn't want to be that way anymore. I didn't feel healthy. I wanted to change my life.”
Since Banner connected Amber with the program, she has lost more than 200 pounds. She no longer needs oxygen, and her high glucose and other health issues are markedly improved.
“I had congestive heart failure. That's gone. I had high blood pressure, high cholesterol. All that just totally gone,” she says.
About 615,000 adults in Arizona live with diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. The program is administered by Foodsmart under a contract with Banner Health.
“Diet is the number one predictor of chronic disease, and we work with Banner Medicaid members to help improve these conditions by creating personalized nutrition care plans,” said Foodsmart registered dietitian Rhyan Geiger. “When we have early interventions with members, we're able to see better outcomes overall with A1C, hypertension, weight and any type of chronic conditions that they might face.”
Additionally, after completing their free nutrition coaching calls, Banner members earn “grocery money” to redeem on Instacart and similar platforms. Moreover, through a food delivery program, Banner helps members eat well on a budget and access healthy food delivery.
For Amber, who lives at home with her mother, this benefits not only her own health and finances, but the community’s as well.
“It’s been a big change for me. I feel good about myself,” she says. “If I can do it, you know you can do it.”
About Banner Health
As one of the nation's largest fully integrated nonprofit health systems, we are pioneering a sustainable care model that prioritizes prevention, manages chronic disease, and reduces health spending – succeeding when patients stay healthy, not when they get sick. We operate 33 hospitals and more than 400 sites across six states, delivering seamless care from primary to quaternary medicine, including health insurance, physician networks, world-renowned specialty services, and behavioral health. Accountable to the communities we serve, we reinvest every dollar into advancing care, research, and facilities, providing more than $1 billion each year in community benefit. Through our partnership with the University of Arizona, we drive clinical discoveries across more than 800 trials and train more than 1,300 residents and fellows annually. Headquartered in Arizona, we serve Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, and Wyoming. Our hospitals are consistently ranked among Arizona's top-performing by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com/about.
Caption: Amber Marie Reyes sits with her mother, Darlene Rodriguez.
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