Food as Medicine: New Medicare and Medicaid Pilot Program
A senate committee must act next: committee consideration.
The bill has support from both parties, which helps its chances. However, it is still in the early stages and needs to pass through committees before it can be voted on.
Scores run from -100 (strongly harmful) to +100 (strongly beneficial) for each group, combining impact, certainty, scope, and duration ratings of 1-5. How impact scoring works
The model gives priority to programs sourcing fresh produce grown within 250 miles or through regenerative agriculture, which could create new demand for local and sustainably grown food from nearby farms participating in or supplying the pilot programs. The effect is small because only a handful of test sites will be selected.
“preference given to produce grown within 250 miles of the selected program or through the use of regenerative agriculture”
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Senators Jim Banks and Alex Padilla introduced the Accountable Produce is Medicine Act to expand access to programs that help prevent chronic disease through nutrition. The bill directs CMS to establish a pilot bundled payment model for healthy foods, nutrition counseling, and care coordination.
Senators Jim Banks and Alex Padilla introduced the Accountable Produce is Medicine Act, directing CMS to pilot a bundled payment covering regionally sourced food, nutrition counseling, and care coordination for patients with chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
The International Fresh Produce Association is backing the Accountable Produce is Medicine Act, which would create opportunities to test and expand produce prescription programs through federal healthcare systems like Medicare and Medicaid to manage diet-related diseases.
No votes or related bills recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Accountable Produce is Medicine Act of 2026
Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.