SR 123

Introduced by Senator Weber Pierson
 Relative to medically supportive food and nutrition services.
medically supportive food and nutrition services
WHEREAS, Too many Californians, particularly Californians of color, are living with preventable, diet-related health conditions that severely impact quality of life and reduce life expectancy; and
WHEREAS, Access to adequate food and nutrition plays a key role in preventing and managing diet-related health issues, and can significantly improve health outcomes and reduce health care spending; and
WHEREAS, Medically supportive food and nutrition, commonly known as “food as medicine,” are food-based interventions integrated into health care used to prevent, treat, and reverse diet-sensitive medical conditions; and
WHEREAS, Providing the full spectrum of medically supportive food and nutrition interventions, which includes medically tailored meals, medically tailored groceries, medically supportive groceries, produce prescriptions, healthy food vouchers, food pharmacy, and nutrition education, allows health care providers to appropriately match the service to the patients’ needs, and enables patients to transition between more and less intensive levels of care as their health needs evolve; and
WHEREAS, California has recognized the critical role of nutrition and its influence on health outcomes and health equity through its inclusion of medically supportive food and nutrition interventions in the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) initiative, as the community support service known as “medically tailored meals” or “medically supportive food;” and
WHEREAS, An evaluation conducted by the State Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) which examined the cost-effectiveness of medically supportive food and nutrition under CalAIM found that implementation of these services led to reduced health care spending, with an 18.7 percent reduction in costs for inpatient services, a 6 percent reduction in costs for outpatient services, and a 20 percent reduction in per-member per-month emergency room costs; and
WHEREAS, Examinations of similar medically supportive food and nutrition programs in other states also demonstrate reduced health care spending, including a 23 percent reduction in hospitalizations and a 13 percent reduction in emergency department visits in Massachusetts, and an average savings of $85 per patient per month in North Carolina for patients receiving interventions addressing health-related social needs, such as food; and
WHEREAS, Medically supportive food and nutrition services have been successfully implemented under Medi-Cal, with nearly 200,000 patients having accessed these services in a 12- month period, making them the most utilized community support service; and
WHEREAS, The delivery of high-quality medically supportive food and nutrition interventions is driven by contracts with community-based providers who offer culturally relevant and patient-centered services, uphold high nutrition and quality standards, and collaborate with other local organizations and health care providers to support overall patient health; and
WHEREAS, Prioritizing the sourcing of high-quality food from California regenerative or organic farms or ranches, including from socially disadvantaged or beginning farmers or ranchers, offers multiple benefits to human health, California’s economy, and the environment to reach California’s climate goals by 2045; and
WHEREAS, Updates to DHCS guidance informed by stakeholder feedback, including service definitions, coding, and eligibility have improved implementation; and
WHEREAS, Medically supportive food and nutrition services have demonstrated significant value under CalAIM, creating opportunities for continued innovation, collaboration, and access through partnerships among managed care plans, providers, and community organizations; and
WHEREAS, Continued investment in medically supportive food and nutrition services can further strengthen California’s leadership in advancing health outcomes, health equity, and patient-centered care; and
WHEREAS, Medically supportive food and nutrition services can continue to be offered to patients beyond CalAIM through federal in lieu of services (ILOS) authority, which grants managed care plans the ability to cover medically-appropriate and cost-effective alternatives to traditional Medicaid benefits; and
WHEREAS, California’s commitment to medically supportive food and nutrition has positioned the state as a national leader in integrating nutrition and health care to improve outcomes and advance health equity; now, therefore, be it
 Resolved by the Senate of the State of California,  That the Senate recognizes the critical role that medically supportive food and nutrition plays in reducing chronic disease and advancing health equity; and be it further
 Resolved,  That the Senate recognizes the opportunity presented by federal ILOS authority to support the continued availability of medically supportive food and nutrition interventions and acknowledges the important role these services play in improving health outcomes and advancing health equity; and be it further
 Resolved,  That the Senate recognizes the value of transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement in strengthening the implementation and effectiveness of medically supportive food and nutrition services throughout California; and be it further
 Resolved,  That the Senate recognizes the contributions of Medi-Cal managed care plans, community-based nonprofit providers, health care partners, and California farmers and ranchers in delivering high-quality medically supportive food and nutrition services that improve patient health, strengthen communities, and support California’s broader health, economic, and environmental goals; and be it further
 Resolved,  That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the Governor of the State of California, the State Department of Health Care Services, and to the author for appropriate distribution.