Public Comment Now Open for Food Is Medicine in Medicaid 1115 Waiver

Posted on by DC Food Policy

Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) is accepting public comments on its renewal application for a federal Medicaid waiver, which includes a proposal to expand Food Is Medicine services through Medicaid coverage. Public Comments are due 6pm on Tuesday, April 30, 2024.

What does the proposal do?

As a part of a five-year renewal request for Section 1115 Medicaid Demonstration Waiver, DHCF has proposed to test the expansion of Medicaid coverage for nutrition services and supports to those with certain health risks, nutrition-sensitive health conditions, and/or children or pregnant or postpartum beneficiaries and their households. Proposed coverage includes:

  • Nutrition counseling and education
  • Home delivered meals or pantry stocking, up to 3 meals a day, for up to 6 months
  • Fresh produce prescriptions, protein boxes, and/or grocery provisions, up to 3 meals a day, for up to 6 months
  • Cooking supplies that are necessary for meal preparation and nutritional welfare of a beneficiary when not available through other programs

Deploying additional Medicaid funding for these nutrition services and supports could improve health outcomes, reduce health disparities, and potentially be cost effective supplements to traditional Medicaid medical services. The proposed plan will also allow DHCF to use the federal dollars to build infrastructure and capacity necessary to implement these expanded nutrition services.

Read the full draft application here (the nutrition section begins on page 22)

3 ways to share your thoughts:

  1. Email your written comment to: dhcf.waiverinitiative@dc.gov
  2. Mail your written comment addressed to:
    • Melisa Byrd, Senior Deputy Director/State Medicaid Director
    • Department of Health Care Finance
    • 441 4th Street NW, Suite 900S, Washington, DC 20001
  3. Attend one of the three public hearings during the comment period, where written and oral comments on the proposed renewal application will be accepted.
    • Virtual: Tuesday, April 9, 3:00-4:30pm
      • Join by web conference: Link To Join 
      • Join by phone: dial 1-206-420-0854 and using the access code 984 829 331
    • In-person: Monday, April 22, 10-11:30am
      • Location: Anacostia Public Library (Ora Glover Meeting Room) at 1800 Marion Barry Avenue SE.
    • Virtual: Wednesday, April 24, 5:30-7:30pm
      • During the Medical Care Advisory Committee (MCAC) Meeting
      • Join by video conference: Link to Join 
      • Join by phone: dial 1-202-860-2110 and using the access code 2314 418 4314

Background

A Section 1115 Waiver is used by a state’s Medicaid agency to experiment and pilot innovative approaches to better serving Medicaid customers. DHCF’s current 1115 Waiver is set to expire at the end of 2024. At the federal level, in December 2022, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services (CMS) promoted an opportunity for states to expand Food Is Medicine initiatives through Section 1115 waivers. DHCF’s proposal is consistent with the federal framework for Health-Related Social Needs (HRSN) Services.

What is Food Is Medicine? Food is Medicine refers to a spectrum of programs, services and interventions that recognize and respond to the critical link between nutrition and chronic illness. Food is Medicine Interventions are recognized as effective and a low-cost strategy to 1) improve health outcomes, 2) decrease utilization of expensive health services, and 3) enhance patient quality of life.

source: Massachusetts Food is Medicine State Plan

For more information, visit the DHCF 1115 Demonstration website or contact DHCF at dhcf.waiverinitiative@dc.gov

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