The food as medicine movement is gaining momentum, but there are several challenges, according to a PitchBook report. These challenges include resistance to diet restrictions and difficulty in tracking compliance.
A Kaiser Permanente Southern California study published in JAMA Health Forum found that Medicare Advantage members who received meals after being discharged from the hospital had lower odds of rehospitalization and death.
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.
The six-month pilot program aims to support 1,000 Highmark insurance members with certain chronic health conditions and who are at high-risk of food insecurity. These members will receive two medically-tailored meals a day, as well as coaching and social work to help them live a healthier lifestyle.
The study found that if certain adults received medically-tailored meals, about 1.6 million hospitalizations would have been avoided, resulting in $38.7 billion saved in healthcare expenditures. Programs to provide these meals would have cost $24.8 billion, leading to $13.6 billion in net savings, according to the report.