Updated 1 hour 21 minutes ago
Nov 1, 2024
‘Meals are medicine’
Blue Cross’ partnership with Community Servings provides healthy deliveries for Medicare patients after hospitalization
Jim Sperguiro had surgery on his right shoulder this past August. Within a week of leaving the hospital, he received a call from a nurse at his health plan to see how he was doing and if he’d like to get nutritious meals delivered to his home at no charge during his recovery.
“I was surprised that a nurse called me from Blue Cross, and I also was surprised to learn that I could get free meals delivered to me after I was in the hospital,” said the 74-year-old Marshfield, Mass., resident, a Marine vet.
Sperguiro signed up for the program, and each week received a box with five prepackaged frozen dinners and five soups, homemade rolls, a bag of cereal and quart of milk, several yogurts and pieces of fruit, a bag of pita chips, and a container of peanut butter.
The deliveries are part of an innovative post-hospitalization meal program offered by his Medicare Advantage plan, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, and Community Servings, a Boston-based non-profit that provides medically tailored meals to chronically and critically ill individuals throughout Massachusetts.
As part of the program, eligible Blue Cross Medicare Advantage members who have been discharged from the hospital can receive eight weeks of meals from Community Servings at no cost to them.
Sperguiro is grateful for the program.
“So far, I have found the food to be outstanding. And it’s healthy—it doesn’t have a ton of salt or sugar,” he said.
He also likes that the food was delivered right to his door. “UPS carried the meals right into my kitchen, which was great because I wasn’t able to use my right arm for over a month,” he said.
Kathy Dawley, a registered nurse and the Blue Cross case manager who reached out to Sperguiro, calls Medicare members who have been discharged from the hospital to make sure they are doing well, that their pain is controlled and that they understand their discharge instructions.
She also tells them about support Blue Cross provides, such as the meal-delivery program.
“People are always pleasantly surprised to get my call and to learn that their insurance company really cares about how they are doing and that we want to help them in any way we can,” Dawley said.
And, she added, it’s gratifying to see how much people like Jim enjoy the meals.
“It’s a good boost for him,” Dawley said.
I’m so glad we have this benefit to make a stressful time a little bit easier for members like Jim.
Kathy Dawley
Backed by research
The program is a great fit for older adults like Sperguiro because “the meals are medicine,” said Blue Cross director of Medicare case and utilization management Michelle Powderly, who oversees the program for the health plan.
We know nutrition plays a huge role in keeping people healthy, and it can make a big difference in a person’s recovery and beyond
Michelle Powderly
Erin DiBacco, director of strategic growth and business development at Community Servings, agrees.
“The program serves people 65 and over who may have a variety of chronic health conditions," she said. "Our goal is to help them retain a healthy and active lifestyle while they recover and ultimately to keep them out of the hospital. Our meals are medically tailored, meaning they offer customized nutrition and meet individual patients’ dietary needs, plus they all control for fat, saturated fat, and sodium.”
A study published in JAMA found that participants who received medically tailored meals from Community Servings had fewer hospital and skilled nursing facility admissions, resulting in lower health care costs. Other studies of similar meal delivery programs have found reduced nursing home admissions, a lower rate of hospital readmission rates for post-discharge heart failure patients, and improved heart failure symptoms.
Strong support
Once a Blue Cross member signs up for the meals program, a Community Servings registered dietitian nutritionist reaches out to discuss their medical needs and any dietary restrictions or preferences they may have, DiBacco said. Participants continue to have access to Community Servings' registered dietitian nutritionists throughout the duration of the program.
Getting time to heal rather than shop and cook is also helpful, Powderly points out. “We want to support our members as they recover, especially those who live alone. This program is vital to helping them bounce back after surgery quicker and healthier.”
The meals program is just one of many ways Blue Cross helps Medicare Advantage members experience a smooth transition from hospital to home, Powderly notes.
“Our nurse case managers regularly check in with members before and after their hospital stay to educate them about their procedure and recovery and ensure they have access to any resources they may need,” she said.
Healing help
A few months after his meal-delivery program ended, Sperguiro reported that he is making good progress on his recovery and working with a physical therapist to strengthen his shoulder and get his full range of motion back.
He encourages those who are eligible for the Blue Cross Community Servings program to sign up:
“The program has been a huge help, and I would recommend it to others who are going through something similar to what I went through.”
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PHOTO OF JIM SPERGUIRO BY FAITH NINIVAGGI