A pilot program between Humana and Mom's Meals to deliver tailored meals to elderly diabetic Medicare members has yielded overwhelmingly positive results, according to a June 18 report.
About 86 percent of pilot participants with diabetes and food insecurity called the delivered, medically-tailored meals "essential" to their wellbeing over the course of 2020.
Members received 14 refrigerated meals on the fourth week of every month over the year, when those experiencing food insecurity are most likely to go without a meal, the report read.
The initiative focuses on the two confounding issues as emergency room visits linked to hyperglycemic episodes increase toward the end of the month.
"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, in the report.