CHLPI Presents on Food is Medicine at the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS

On May 25, 2016, team members from the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation attended the 59^th Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) Council Meeting, where CHLPI’s Faculty Director Robert Greenwald moderated the panel discussion “Food is Medicine: The Case for Integrating Food and Nutrition Services into Health Reform.” Panel participants were Dr. Sheri Weiser, Associated Professor of Medicine, Division of HIV, Infectious Disease and Global Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco; Sue Daugherty, RD, LPN, the CEO of MANNA; and CHLPI’s Sarah Downer, a clinical instructor on law at the center.

Dr. Shari Weiser presented on the latest research demonstrating the link between food insecurity and health outcomes, especially for people living with HIV/AIDS, and the impact of food-based interventions on health outcomes. Sue Daugherty presented on MANNA’s cutting edge partnership with a local Medicaid Managed Care Organization that provides medically-tailored, home-delivered meals to Medicaid recipients in Pennsylvania. The partnership is so successful that the Managed Care Organization has seen costs decrease by 36% among meal recipients and the Secretary of Health in PA is looking to expand access to medically-tailored meals statewide in Medicaid. Sarah Downer presented on policy reforms in Medicaid and Medicare that will drive integration of food and nutrition services in order to meet the triple aim of improving patient outcomes, improving populations health, and reducing cost.

Following the panel presentation, the PACHA adopted a resolution that recognized the crucial role that food plays in prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS and calls on the President and Department of Health and Human Services to direct the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) to expand coverage of medically-tailored meals in Medicare and Medicaid and include food and nutrition services in all demonstration models developed by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation.

Robert Greenwald was also recognized by the Council for his five years of service as a member of the council. He is pictured here with PACHA Chairperson Nancy Mahon, JD.

Read the report Food is Medicine.
Read the Food is Medicine Advocacy Toolkit.