Last month, MANNA joined Food Is Medicine Coalition (FIMC) members from across the country in Washington, D.C. for the second annual Food is Medicine Advocacy Day. Together, we met with policymakers to advocate for federal legislation and funding to support medically tailored meals (MTMs) as a vital component of healthcare for individuals living with serious illnesses.

During our visit, we participated in Capitol Hill meetings to build support for:

• the Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Demonstration Pilot Act,
• protecting Medicaid, and
• preserving critical programs, such as the Ryan White Program.

The Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Demonstration Pilot Act

One of the top policy priorities discussed on the Hill was the Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Demonstration Pilot Act – a bipartisan bill that would launch a Medicare pilot to test the impact of MTMs on patient health, satisfaction, and healthcare costs. Currently, Medicare does not cover MTM interventions, leaving a critical gap in care for millions of older adults and people with disabilities.

The proposed pilot would:

• target Medicare beneficiaries with chronic and complex conditions,
• launch in 40 hospitals across rural, urban and frontier communities, and
• help Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) evaluate MTMs as a scalable, cost-effective healthcare intervention.

A MANNA study found that MTMs can decrease hospital visits by 50% and lower monthly healthcare costs by $13,000 on average, making them a smart investment for public health systems. The bill had strong bipartisan momentum in the 118^th Congress, unanimously passing the House Ways and Means Committee. Advocates, including MANNA, are urging lawmakers to cosponsor and advance the bill as it nears reintroduction.

Protecting Medicaid

Food-as-medicine programs, like MANNA’s, often receive Medicaid funding through healthcare contracts. Proposed changes to the federal budget – like setting limits on Medicaid spending, adding work requirements, or cutting provider funding – could lead states to reduce services that aren’t required by law, like MTMs. This would make it harder for people who rely on these programs to get the care they need.

Medicaid cuts would be a major setback for food-as-medicine programs and the patients who rely on them. Preserving full Medicaid funding is critical to ensuring vulnerable communities continue to receive holistic, cost-effective care.

Preserving Critical Programs

Nonprofits like MANNA are facing growing uncertainty as federal budget proposals and administrative actions threaten critical funding streams. About 40% of MANNA’s services are federally funded, as programs like the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program play a direct role in supporting our work.

Cuts to federal services like Older Americans Act (OAA) Nutrition Programs, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, free clinics, and housing assistance would also deeply impact MANNA’s clients and those served by other MTM providers, making these meals even more essential to our most vulnerable neighbors.

Looking Ahead

With federal-level policy changing by the minute, MANNA is diligently tracking developments and speaking up to ensure MTMs stay on the federal policy agenda. We’ll keep fighting for policies that prioritize nourishment and health, and you can join us by calling your representatives and urging them to support the Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Demonstration Pilot Act and other critical programs. Together, we can help advocate for our neighbors facing serious disease and make food as medicine more accessible for all.