Sneakz Super Fan Propels Prescription Availability for Medicaid Patients
Sometimes an excellent product becomes that much better when another use for is made available. Vinegar, for example, is ideal for both cooking and cleaning. And many medications developed to cure a particular health problem have been found to remedy others.
Sneakz was created to help parents ensure their children consume a sufficient amount of vegetables. Now it joins the rank of versatile products gaining popularity among seniors seeking an alternative to long-limited nutritional supplement options. And one ardent 83-year-old fan is determined to see that Sneakz is made available through programs like Medicaid and more.
Jane T. of Montana has multiple degrees, including an M.S.B.A. and Ph.D. in business administration from Columbia University and a degree in microbiology. As her educational pursuits would indicate, “I’m a person dedicated to research. I have to pursue information to the nth,” Jane says. “And I’m especially interested in understanding food and its effect on the body.”
So when she saw a “funny-looking” container featuring a cartoon fox, she had to know more about what was inside, beginning with its taste. She liked it — a lot — and decided to look into the ingredients. She loved those as well: organic, with 15 ingredients — five of them vegetables — and without antibiotics or synthetic hormones. Most important, Jane, who suffers from a rare brain condition that has wide-ranging effects on her body, liked how it made her feel.
“When I drink Sneakz, my digestive tract quiets down. It’s very soothing; it doesn’t upset my stomach and even eases the pangs and pains.”
Her experience with Sneakz may be due to the absence of carrageenan, an additive often used as a thickening agent, even in organic or so-called natural foods (read: The Carrageenan Controversy). A recent article in Prevention magazine notes that carrageenan, derived from red seaweed, has since the 1960s been linked to “gastrointestinal disease in lab animals, including ulcerative colitis, intestinal lesions, and colon cancer.”
Isolating the specific reason for its beneficial effects doesn’t matter to Jane. It’s enough that, she says, “My whole system feels right and Sneakz seems to be helping me in many ways. I even sleep better.”
Jane told her physician about her experience with Sneakz, then took it a step further, delivering a supply of Sneakz to him and to her local home health care provider, which carried other nutritional supplements for seniors on Medicaid. She felt Sneakz should sit on the same shelf, thanks to its significant impact on her well-being.
She also contacted Sneakz headquarters to share her story and her efforts. Steve Krueger, operations, and sales manager took up the cause and managed the laborious registration process that allowed Sneakz to become a provider for Medicaid.
“We can be prescribed by any doctor in the country, as long as the patient has a Medicaid Waiver on file,” Krueger explains. “This includes children, too. We are also in the process of becoming approved through Medicare.”
Jane’s doctor issued her first prescription for Sneakz and her home health care provider now fills it. She hopes seniors in every state can take advantage of this opportunity to see if Sneakz makes them feel as good as it’s made her feel. But she isn’t stopping there. Jane has even been in contact with the National Institutes of Health to encourage research into the benefits of Sneakz for the chronically ill.
“I give it to everybody,” she laughs. “I love this product and can’t say enough about it. ‘Your left earlobe is bothering you?’ Drink a Sneakz and it will go away!’”
“We don’t make any medical claims,” says Krueger, “but Jane is drinking three servings of Sneakz a day. That means she’s getting a serving and a half of vegetables and three cups of organic milk, healthy items that are likely to have some positive effect on a person’s body.”
See what effect Sneakz might have on your body. If you see results like Jane’s, ask your doctor if a prescription might be right for you.