Diet-related conditions, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease, now drive roughly 85–90% of the nation’s $4.5–5 trillion of annual healthcare expenditures. Recently, Food is Medicine (FIM)—which includes initiatives like medically tailored meals (MTMs), medically tailored groceries (MTGs), and produce prescriptions—has emerged as a clinically supported, cost-effective strategy for preventing and managing chronic conditions.  

This year marks a turning point for efforts to improve health and decrease healthcare spending by reducing access to ultra-processed foods (UPFs). State legislatures, federal agencies and Congress are all exploring food as a driver of health, signaling that FIM is becoming more central to mainstream healthcare policy. Below are some of the most recent efforts aimed at advancing food-as-medicine and lowering healthcare costs: 

Recent Pledges 

Below are recent voluntary Pledges that the Trump Administration has put forward for health systems to consider.   

  • The Make Hospital Food Healthier Pledge: The Make Hospital Food Healthier Pledge, a voluntary pledge asks hospitals to align inpatient menus with the HHS 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines. The pledge aims to improve current inpatient menus by reducing UPFs, sugar-sweetened drinks, and processed meats, while promoting fruits, vegetables and healthy fats as key components of a nutritious diet. 
  • Florida’s Farm-to-Table Pledge: This pledge creates a pathway for hospitals in Florida to source higher volumes from local producers, strengthening nutrition strategies for patients. It will also help overcome contracting and procurement barriers that have historically limited farm-to-hospital sourcing.   
  • Medical Schools Nutrition Education Pledge: Colleges and Universities offering medical and allied health sciences education have the opportunity to pledge their commitment to offering at least 40 hours of nutrition education in their programs. 

 

Congressional Action 

  • On April 16, 2026, Congress introduced The Accountable Produce as Medicine Act of 2026, requiring that CMS’ Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation test a model aimed at reducing chronic diseases through food as medicine.  
  • For AHPA’s review of FIM proposals considered by Congress related to FIM, click here.
     

State Policymaking 

  • On April 1, 2026, the Kentucky General Assembly passed Senate Joint Resolution 23, formally declaring Kentucky a “Food is Medicine state” and directing state agencies to advance FIM initiatives. The resolution came from a partnership between the Kentucky Hospital Association (KHA) and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA). Kentucky’s FIM program will pilot medically tailored meals, issue prescriptions for high-risk populations, and form public-private partnerships to support local food systems.
     

Recent studies show the value of FIM interventions. 

  • Loma Linda University’s Institute for Health Policy and Leadership (IHPL) released a brief on the policy landscape of UPFs and their health consequences.  
  • Their research revealed that UPFs now comprise 75% of the U.S. food supply and provide over half of daily calories for the average American. 
  • A similar paper published in the British Journal of Medicine linked UPF consumption to 32 distinct adverse health outcomes, including obesity and type 2 diabetes. 
  • In March 2026, the Rockefeller Foundation released research showing FIM programs could unlock over $45 billion in state economic activity and create 316,000 jobs if scaled nationwide. States that embed local sourcing requirements in FIM program design can redirect healthcare spending toward small and mid-sized farms, regional food systems, and local employers. 
  • The Food is Medicine Coalition (FIMC) and Harvard Law School published a Sustainability Blueprint with recommendations to standardize MTM coverage in Medicaid.