Paper and canvas bags packed with groceries for Medicare Advantage members are lined up on tables at United By Blue
New program began recently and aims to make deliveries to more than 7,000 Medicare Advantage members
Philadelphia, PA — June 15, 2020 — Independence Blue Cross (Independence), the region’s leading health insurer, and Philadelphia-based United By Blue, a sustainable outdoor apparel and accessories brand, recently launched a new program that offers four weekly grocery deliveries at no cost to Independence Medicare Advantage members. Each delivery contains fresh, local, and organic groceries, homemade soups, and household supplies.
United By Blue, a local business which has served the Philadelphia community for over 10 years, traditionally focused on apparel and accessories, opened an online food marketplace in response to the public’s need for grocery and delivery options during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Some of our Medicare members need dietary support and help with daily activities even in the best of times. This need has become even more imperative during the COVID-19 crisis,” said Independence medical director Heidi Syropoulos, M.D., a geriatrician. “We’re really excited about the program and appreciative to United By Blue for working with us to get our at-risk members the groceries they need safely and reliably.”
The program is targeting 7,700 Medicare Advantage Plan members who are enrolled in Independence’s Keystone 65 HMO plans and have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and at least one of the following diagnosis: hemoglobin A1c level greater than 9, asthma, hypertension, congestive heart failure, end-stage renal disease, or ischemic heart disease.
“We are so proud to partner with Independence Blue Cross and admire their commitment to their members. Community has always been at the core of what United By Blue stands for and this program is a manifestation of our values,” said United By Blue co-founder and brand director Mike Cangi. “We believe that it is not enough for a business to simply exist in a community, but instead it is our responsibility to be part of the community. This program allows us to reach those in our hometown that need us the most right now by bringing them fresh, local, and organic groceries and paper goods.”
Each delivery provides organic dairy, meat, eggs, fruits, vegetables, breads, pastries, soups, toilet paper, and paper towels. There is also one cloth face mask included in each member’s first delivery. Eligible members are able to opt-in to the program using a unique code provided to them by Independence.
About United By Blue
United By Blue is a sustainable outdoor apparel and accessories brand started in 2010 driven by the belief that every living creature is united by the blue of our world’s oceans and waterways, and we all share the responsibility to protect them. Our pledge unites our beliefs with our business: For every product sold, we remove one pound of trash from the oceans and waterways through company-organized cleanups. All apparel and accessories are responsibly made using sustainable materials such as organic cotton, recycled polyester, hemp, and bison fiber. United By Blue products can be found in nearly 1000 outlets globally, in our stores in Philadelphia, and online at unitedbyblue.com.
Media Contact:
Diana Quattrone
Diana.Quattrone@ibx.com
215-815-7828
Y0041_HM_86939_2020 Website last updated: 6/15/2020
Independence Blue Cross offers products through its subsidiaries Independence Hospital Indemnity Plan, Keystone Health Plan East and QCC Insurance Company — independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.