Twelve states are experimenting with Medicaid programs that allow physicians to prescribe healthy meals to prevent and treat diet-related diseases, Stateline reported Oct. 12.
One such program in Oregon partnered three hospitals with Meals on Wheels to deliver healthy, medically tailored meals to thousands of older adults with diabetes, congestive heart diseases and other chronic illnesses.
Oregon is expanding the program to aid youths with special needs and people experiencing homelessnesss thanks to a $1.1 billion, five-year grant through Medicaid. The program will provide three medically tailored meals per day for up to six months for people with or who are at risk of diet-related illnesses, the report said.
A Massachusetts program goes one step further by providing meals for entire families paid for by Medicaid.
The states with Medicaid meal programs are California, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington.