Managed Care
Medically Tailored Meals Reduce Hospital Use for Medicaid Enrollees, Study Finds
A new study shows that medically tailored meal programs — home-delivered meals customized by dietitians for people with diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions — significantly improve health outcomes and reduce hospital visits for Medicaid enrollees. Approximately 12 states currently offer these programs through their Medicaid programs. The findings provide evidence for managed care organizations considering value-based arrangements or enhanced benefits that include nutrition services. The study results are relevant as MCOs evaluate supplemental benefit strategies to manage high-cost, chronically ill populations.
Why it mattersThis evidence supports ROI for medically tailored meals as a supplemental benefit or care coordination strategy that can reduce medical costs and improve outcomes for high-risk Medicaid managed care populations.