Your Diet Is Contributing to Your Health Problems. Medically Tailored Meals Can Help.

The Food-as-Medicine Gap

You have diabetes but eat fast food because you're homeless. You have heart disease but eat processed food with high sodium. You have kidney disease but don't understand which foods are safe. Your health deteriorates.

Or you're too sick or disabled to cook for yourself. You need nutrition but have no way to get it.

Food affects every health condition. Yet most people manage serious diseases without nutritional support or understanding of how to eat for their condition.

Here's what most Medi-Cal members don't know: If you have certain medical conditions and social risk factors, your Medi-Cal plan covers Medically Tailored Meals—professionally prepared, delivered meals designed specifically for YOUR condition.

Nutritious, medically tailored meals featuring grilled chicken, green beans, and carrots are carefully packaged for delivery, promoting health and wellness.

Fact #1: Research shows that members receiving Medically Tailored Meals have significantly better disease management, 20-30% better medication adherence, 25% fewer hospitalizations, and better nutritional status—because proper nutrition directly supports disease management.

What Medically Tailored Meals Cover

Services include:

Meal Preparation & Delivery:

• Specially prepared meals delivered to your home

• Meals designed for specific medical conditions

• Meals prepared fresh or safely frozen

• Convenient heating and eating

Condition-Specific Nutrition:

• Diabetes – Low glycemic index, controlled carbohydrates, portion control

• Kidney disease – Low sodium, controlled potassium and phosphorus, appropriate protein

• Hypertension – Sodium-restricted, heart-healthy ingredients

• Heart disease – Low saturated fat, heart-healthy fats, appropriate portions

• Pulmonary disease – Nutrient-dense, easy-to-swallow options

• Gastrointestinal disease – Easily digestible, appropriate fiber

Nutritional Support:

• Adequate calories for health maintenance

• Appropriate nutrients for your condition

• Foods your condition requires you to avoid

• Meals supporting medication effectiveness

Duration:

• Ongoing support while medically necessary

• Coordination with your healthcare team

• Adjustment as your condition changes

Fact #2: A 2022 UCLA study found that Medically Tailored Meals reduced healthcare costs by an average of $3,500 per member annually through prevented complications, hospitalizations, and emergency care—because proper nutrition prevents crises that cost far more.

Who Qualifies for Medically Tailored Meals?

Eligibility varies by region and health plan, but generally includes members with:

• Social risk factors:

  • Food insecurity (not enough food or money for food)

  • Housing instability or homelessness

  • Disability affecting ability to prepare food

  • Limited mobility

  • Caregiver stress

• And medical conditions:

  • Diabetes

  • Hypertension or heart disease

  • Kidney disease

  • COPD or other pulmonary disease

  • Gastrointestinal disorders

  • Multiple chronic conditions

You typically need BOTH social risk factors AND medical conditions that would benefit from specialized nutrition.

Why This Costs You Nothing

Medically Tailored Meals are a covered CalAIM Community Support. Your Medi-Cal plan pays for them—it costs you nothing.

This is food as medicine. Your insurance covers medicine. This is medicine in food form.

How Help Is Hope Connects You to Medically Tailored Meals

Our care team helps Medi-Cal members with chronic conditions and social risk factors access Medically Tailored Meals.

If you have a chronic condition and struggle to eat properly:

1. Complete our intake form and tell us about your health and food situation

2. Our team assesses your eligibility for Medically Tailored Meals

3. We connect you with partner meal providers

4. Meals are delivered to your home

5. Your health improves through proper nutrition

Learn more about how our Enhanced Care and Community Support services include nutrition coordination and health support.

Enhanced Care & Community Support

30min

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Food Is Medicine

You shouldn't have to choose between eating and managing your disease. You shouldn't have to rely on fast food when your health condition requires specific nutrition. You shouldn't have to skip meals because you can't cook.

Book a session with our care team and let's explore whether Medically Tailored Meals are right for you. Your Medi-Cal plan covers them.

Healthy meals delivered to your home. Meals designed for YOUR condition. Nutrition supporting YOUR health. It costs you nothing.

Your disease management depends on it.

Hope is not a luxury. It is a lifeline. Let us help you eat for your health.