Who We Are
Founded in July 2019 by a group of Bay Area organizations with the common goal of making healthcare based food interventions standard covered health insurance benefits with sustainable funding.
What started as a regional effort has grown statewide, co-managed by SPUR and the Food as Medicine Collaborative (FAMC). In March 2020, the coalition submitted public comment with more than 95 organizations urging the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to include medically supportive food and nutrition into the state’s Medi-Cal waiver application.
The coalition was successful and now health plans across California can opt-in to providing medically supportive food and nutrition interventions as Community Supports (previously called In Lieu of Services).
Journey of MSF&N
July 2019
First MSF&N Steering Committee meeting
We decided on a joint long term goal-- public and private health insurers pay for medically supportive food interventions as a covered medical benefit.
October 2019
DHCS releases draft waiver: CalAIM
The Department of Health Care Services (Department who administers Medi-Cal in CA) released their draft comprehensive 1115 and 1915(b) waiver known as CalAIM. This version included a menu of 13 In Lieu of Services (ILOS) including Medically Tailored Meals.
March 2020
Position paper submitted to DHCS requesting MSF&N interventions be added to the CalAIM waiver. Over 100 organizations signed in support.
May 2020
Four California legislators submit a support letter to DHCS requesting the inclusion of MSF&N in CalAIM.
January 2021
MSF&N interventions are officially included in CalAIM application to the Federal Government.
December 2021
The Federal Government officially approves CalAIM.
January 2022
CalAIM launches. Launch was postponed one year due to COVID-19.
January 2023
MSF&N interventions comprise the third most utilized Community Support provided by health plans statewide.
February 2023
Assembly member Mia Bonta introduces AB 1644, which creates a path to transition MSF&N interventions from optional Community Supports to permanent covered benefits in Medi-Cal.
May 2023
The Assembly Appropriations Committee killed AB 1644 by holding it in committee.
Steering Committee
Merrill Buice, San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium
Cathryn Couch, Ceres Community Project
Erika Hanson and Katie Garfield, Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation
Michelle Kuppich, California Food is Medicine Coalition
Erin Franey and Zoë Womack, Food as Medicine Collaborative
Dr. Steven Chen, Recipe 4 Health
Katie Ettman and Paloma Sisneros-Lobato, SPUR
Cissie Bonini and Jennifer Tong, Vouchers 4 Veggies
Dr. Emma Steinberg, Champion Provider Fellowship
Funders
This project is made possible through the generous support of the Hellman Foundation and the Stupski Foundation.
“Before I found about this, I felt really in the world alone, and I felt nobody cares. And when I started coming to the hospital…Food Pharmacy, I feel so much care.”
— Food Pharmacy Participant
