Bill Text: CA AB1975 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Medi-Cal: medically supportive food and nutrition interventions.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 16-0)
Status: (Vetoed) 2024-09-25 - Vetoed by Governor. [AB1975 Detail]
Download: California-2023-AB1975-Amended.html
Amended
IN
Senate
August 15, 2024 |
Amended
IN
Senate
June 05, 2024 |
Introduced by Assembly Member Bonta (Coauthors: Assembly Members Aguiar-Curry, Arambula, Bryan, Gipson, Holden, Jackson, Jones-Sawyer, McCarty, McKinnor, Luz Rivas, Robert Rivas, Weber, and Wilson) (Coauthors: Senators Bradford and Smallwood-Cuevas) |
January 30, 2024 |
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NOBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:For purposes of this section through Section 14134.12, the following definitions apply:
(a)“Medically supportive food and nutrition intervention” means any of the seven interventions listed in paragraphs (1) through (7) of subdivision (b) that provide nutrient-rich whole food, including any fruit, vegetable, legume, nut, seed, whole grain, low-mercury and high-omega-3 fatty acid seafood, or lean animal protein, used for the prevention, reversal, or treatment of certain health conditions. Medically supportive food and nutrition interventions are encouraged, but not required, to utilize, to the extent possible, foods from small- to medium-sized farms, beginning farmers, or farms owned
or operated by socially disadvantaged producers, that produce food using regenerative, organic, or other climate-smart practices. Medically supportive food and nutrition interventions are, to the extent possible, provided by community-based organizations.
(b)(1)“Medically tailored meals” or “MTM” means meals that adhere to standards informed by established nutrition guidelines for specific health conditions, as available, and are tailored to a recipient’s health conditions by a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). For purposes of this paragraph, a provider of MTM offers a qualified individual at least two medically tailored home-delivered meals, or a portioned equivalent, each day that meet at least two-thirds of the daily nutrient and energy needs of a person from the primary population served, and offers the
qualified individual medical nutrition therapy that is provided by an RDN.
(2)“Medically supportive meals” means meals that follow the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans and meet general health recommendations.
(3)“Food pharmacy” means medically supportive food paired with additional nutrition supports, typically in a health care setting.
(4)“Medically tailored groceries” or “MTG” means preselected medically supportive food that adheres to standards informed by established nutrition guidelines for specific health conditions, as available, and is tailored to a recipient’s health conditions by an RDN. For purposes of this paragraph, a provider of MTG offers a qualified individual medically supportive food in sufficient quantity to make at least two meals, or a portioned equivalent, each day that meet at least two-thirds of the daily nutrient and energy needs of a person from the primary population served, and offers the qualified individual medical nutrition therapy that is provided by an RDN.
(5)“Medically supportive groceries” means preselected medically supportive food that follows the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans and meets general health recommendations.
(6)“Produce prescription” means fruits and vegetables, procured in retail settings, such as grocery stores or farmers’ markets, via a financial mechanism.
(7)“Nutrition supports” includes nutrition education, cooking education and tools, including equipment and materials, and health coaching and behavioral supports based on a recipient’s medical conditions, when paired with the interventions described in paragraphs (1) through (6). Nutrition supports are provided in either an individual or group setting.
SEC. 3.SEC. 2.
Section 14134.1 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:14134.1.
(a) No sooner than July 1, 2026, and upon an appropriation made by the Legislature for this purpose in the annual Budget Act, medically supportive food and nutritionSEC. 4.SEC. 3.
Section 14134.11 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, immediately following Section 14134.1, to read:14134.11.
(a) For purposes of coverage of medically supportive food and nutrition interventions as described in Section 14134.1, the department shall define the qualifying medical conditions for those interventions, including chronic and other conditions that evidence shows are sensitive to changes in diet. The department shall also delineate the services included in the definition of medically supportive food and nutrition interventions, consistent with federal dietary guidelines, general health recommendations, and established nutrition guidelines for specific health conditions. The department shall consult with the medically supportive food and nutrition benefit stakeholder advisory workgroup established pursuant to Section 14134.12 in the development of these qualifying medical(c)Nutrition supports as described in paragraph (7) of subdivision (b) of Section 14134 are encouraged to be included with the interventions offered to the patient under subdivision (b), but shall not count toward the minimum intervention requirements, as described in subdivision (b) of Section 14134.1.