Nutrition is the cornerstone of general health, but eating healthy foods has been proven to be effective in helping accelerate the healing process after an injury or surgery. While recuperating from an illness, eating healthy foods can feel like a challenge, but it can make a difference in your physical and mental state as you recover.
If you’ve been diagnosed with pre-diabetes or obesity, positive lifestyle changes can combat medical issues, and this starts with a healthy diet. Unfortunately, many people have a hard time getting to the grocery store due to illness or mobility concerns, leaving them to sometimes make unhealthy food choices, or worse yet, go without eating at all.
Ordering Groceries Online
Thankfully, many grocery stores provide delivery services via the Internet. To utilize these services, you simply sign up for an account with your preferred grocer online, select your items from their website, and a grocery store worker will pull your items from the shelf to prepare your order. Once ready, your order will then be delivered to your door, often in the same day. This is convenient for individuals who have a hard time getting to the store, but it may also save money on fuel costs if you live in a remote area without a nearby grocery store.
Getting Help with Grocery Store Delivery
While Medicare benefits provide coverage for a lot of healthcare needs, the program does not cover grocery delivery services. You may consider asking a family member or friend to help, or look into local community programs that may offer assistance. Even though Medicare does not provide coverage for grocery delivery, there may be other ways to access these services for free or at a reduced cost.
Many charitable organizations provide delivery services to people who suffer from mobility concerns, and programs like Meals on Wheels will even deliver prepared meals to individuals. Additionally, Medicare Advantage plan members may be able to receive discounts on delivery services that are not included with enrollment in Original Medicare benefits. Finally, some grocery stores offer free delivery to certain customers with qualifying conditions, so it never hurts to contact your local grocery store to inquire about your options.
Why Doesn’t Medicare Provide Coverage?
The Medicare program was designed to offer assistance in paying for medical necessary care.
Medicare only covers healthcare costs that are directly tied to preserving life and treating illnesses. Because everyone needs to eat, whether healthy or not, food is considered a basic necessity and not a medical care concern in the strict sense. Medicare only covers expenses that are medical in nature and are required to preserve life and treat an illness, so for now, grocery delivery remains an out-of-pocket expense.
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