PRINTER'S NO. 632
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
43
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY BULLOCK, HARRIS, KENYATTA, KINSEY, SANCHEZ, HILL-
EVANS, MADDEN, VENKAT, HOHENSTEIN, BURGOS, PROBST, PARKER,
KINKEAD, N. NELSON, INNAMORATO, OTTEN AND KHAN,
MARCH 23, 2023
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES, MARCH 23, 2023
A RESOLUTION
Encouraging health insurers in this Commonwealth to provide
coverage for medically tailored meals to beneficiaries.
WHEREAS, Medically tailored meals are beneficial to patients
who battle a chronic illness because the meals provide nutrition
to those who cannot shop or cook for themselves or experience
food insecurity; and
WHEREAS, Medically tailored meals are formulated by a
registered dietitian nutritionist to fit the specific needs of
individual patients who suffer from illnesses such as diabetes,
cancer, HIV or any disease that requires frequent hospital care;
and
WHEREAS, Medically tailored meals have been proven to reduce
health care costs and hospitalizations; and
WHEREAS, The Philadelphia-based Metropolitan Area
Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance (MANNA) has provided more than
21 million medically tailored meals to more than 43,000
residents of this Commonwealth since 1990, at no cost to their
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clients; and
WHEREAS, MANNA has reported hospitalization stays for clients
were 37% shorter than for nonclients, clients visited the
hospital 50% less than nonclients and medical costs fell by
$13,000 after clients started services with MANNA; and
WHEREAS, In December 2022, Highmark Health announced a new
pilot program to provide medically tailored meals to
approximately 1,000 Highmark-insured members; and
WHEREAS, The pilot program aids members with chronic health
conditions and those at high risk for food insecurity by
providing two meals a day for up to one year; and
WHEREAS, Other states, such as California, have included
medically tailored meals as a covered service option under state
health care programs; and
WHEREAS, Additionally, Medicaid Section 1115 Health-Related
Social Needs Services Waivers has provided for several states,
such as Massachusetts and Oregon, to distribute medically
tailored meals to beneficiaries; and
WHEREAS, The Biden-Harris administration is supportive of the
expansion of Medicare and Medicaid benefits in the creation of a
pilot program to provide medically tailored meals to
beneficiaries given the many health benefits and cost savings
these services provide; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives encourage health
insurers in this Commonwealth to provide coverage for medically
tailored meals for beneficiaries; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives encourage the
Department of Human Services to require coverage of medically
tailored meals for qualified beneficiaries under the State
medical assistance program.
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