IEHP, Mom’s Meals Hope to Replicate Successful CHF Pilot With Other Populations

Using a “tapered” meal delivery approach supported by plan-appointed navigators, Mom’s Meals and Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) last year cut both emergency room visits and hospitalizations in half for patients with congestive heart failure who participated in a six-month pilot. The program resulted in a significant medical cost savings and positive outcomes for patients, boding well for future applications in the IEHP population and in California’s recently launched CalAIM Community Supports program.

Patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) tend to have significantly high rates of recurring emergency department visits and hospitalizations, and upon discharge, many lack social supports to pursue the dietary and lifestyle changes that are needed to improve chronic care, according to Mom’s Meals, which provides fully prepared, refrigerated meals across the U.S. and serves the Medicaid, Medicare and individual markets. Since one of the key components of heart failure treatment is reducing sodium in the diet, Mom’s Meals provided lower-sodium (i.e., 600 mg less of sodium) fully prepared meals to members throughout the six-month pilot.