Expanding Access to Healthy Food: Overcoming CMS Rules

Recent guidelines issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are limiting the ability of "food as medicine" programs, such as produce prescriptions, to deploy interventions, refine delivery, and understand their impact. The guidelines restrict states using innovative Medicaid financing from enrolling members in food-as-medicine programs for more than six months, regardless of diagnosis or financial circumstance. This limitation undermines efforts to address diet-related chronic diseases, which account for a significant portion of healthcare costs, and hinders the ability to study the long-term health benefits of food-as-medicine interventions. Advocates are urging CMS to extend enrollment periods, convene a stakeholder task force, and review evidence to support the success of these programs.