Individuals older than 65 with diabetes as well as food insecurity reported a boost in their health and quality of life after taking part in a pilot program by Mom’s Meals, a leading provider of medically tailored, home-delivered meals, and Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) as part of its effort to address members’ health-related social needs.
Mom’s Meals provides fully prepared, refrigerated meals across the nation and serves the Medicaid, Medicare, and individual markets.
By the close of the year-long pilot program, some 86% of the participants, all Humana Medicare Advantage members, agreed that having diabetes-friendly meals delivered to their homes was essential to their overall well-being, according to results released today. The summary report can be found here.
Additional program findings will be shared June 22-24 at the 2021 AHIP Institute & Expo Online. The initiative was also part of Humana’s Bold Goal, which seeks to improve the health of the communities it serves.
As part of the pilot program, 367 enrollees with diabetes who also screened positive for food insecurity received 14 diabetes-friendly meals at home during the fourth week of each month for 12 months, during all of the year 2020. The last week of the month was selected because people with food insecurity may have more limited resources during that time, sometimes resulting in choices that may negatively impact health, such as skipping meals.
Further, research shows that hypoglycemic episodes leading to emergency department visits and inpatient hospitalizations increase in the fourth week of the month for individuals with low incomes and that addressing this monthly cycle could result in better outcomes and lower health care costs.
“By preventing both high and low blood glucose in people with diabetes, we can prevent repeat hospitalizations, improve members’ health outcomes and reduce the cost of care,” said Catherine Macpherson, Vice President of Product Strategy and Development and Chief Nutrition Officer for Mom’s Meals. “Providing medically appropriate meals to those who need them is feasible and creates positive clinical results, including improvements in both physical and mental health.”
“The Humana Bold Goal strategy is focused on measurably improving the health of the members and communities we serve by addressing social determinants of health and health-related social needs,” said Jennifer Spear, Population Health Strategy Lead at Humana. “The research-intensive design for this pilot translated to a successful and sustainable program that allowed for the support of vulnerable members year-round.”
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About Mom’s Meals
Mom’s Meals provides fully prepared, refrigerated, home-delivered meals through Medicaid or Medicare Advantage health plan benefits or for direct purchase. Mom’s Meals delivers nationwide and offers many medically tailored options for different health conditions. Its long-term care, chronic care and post-discharge care programs allow clients to lead healthier lives while remaining independent at home. For more information, visit www.momsmeals.com.
About Humana
Humana Inc. is committed to helping our millions of medical and specialty members achieve their best health. Our successful history in care delivery and health plan administration is helping us create a new kind of integrated care with the power to improve health and well-being and lower costs. Our efforts are leading to a better quality of life for people with Medicare, families, individuals, military service personnel, and communities at large.
To accomplish that, we support physicians and other health care professionals as they work to deliver the right care in the right place for their patients, our members. Our range of clinical capabilities, resources and tools – such as in-home care, behavioral health, pharmacy services, data analytics and wellness solutions – combine to produce a simplified experience that makes health care easier to navigate and more effective.
More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company’s web site at www.humana.com, including copies of:
- Annual reports to stockholders
- Securities and Exchange Commission filings
- Most recent investor conference presentations
- Quarterly earnings news releases and conference calls
- Calendar of events
- Corporate Governance information