Academy Applauds Bill that Addresses Link between Diet and Chronic Illness for Older Americans

Passage of the recently introduced bicameral, bipartisan Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Demonstration Pilot Act (H.R. 5439, S. 2834), would help older Americans with diet-related chronic diseases receive nutritious meals that are created by an RDN to meet their individual health needs.

This bill creates a six-year, nationwide pilot program for Medicare beneficiaries that provides medically tailored meals (MTM) developed by RDNs to address diet-related diseases, including heart disease, diabetes and COPD.

Forty hospitals will participate in this initiative, with rural and underserved areas being prioritized for the pilot. Each hospital is required to partner with a community-based medically tailored meals organization to deliver two meals per day for a minimum of 12 weeks. The pilot program will test different payment and delivery models which will be evaluated for its impact on hospital readmissions, costs and health outcomes.

The bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Ranking Member of the Rules Committee James P. McGovern (Mass.) and Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (N.Y.) and in the U.S. Senate by Sens. Cory Booker (N.J.) and Roger Marshall (Kan.).

As stated in a press release by bill champion U.S. Rep. McGovern, "No senior should have to face chronic illness without the basic nutrition they need. Investing in medically tailored meals will reduce hospital readmissions, improve health outcomes, and save taxpayers money. By connecting health care and nutrition, we can improve lives, strengthen communities, and build a fairer, healthier future for all."

The Academy commends the introduction of the Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Demonstration Pilot Act and calls on Congress to swiftly pass this bill. Take action by completing the Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Demonstration Pilot Act Action Alert.