Sponsors (2)
The bill expands access to medically relevant food and nutrition services for Medicare and Medicaid patients, improving support for vulnerable patients, but may raise Medicare beneficiary cost-sharing, increase state Medicaid spending, and add administrative costs for providers.
Medicaid enrollees (low-income individuals) gain a mandatory benefit covering food and nutrition services, expanding access to nutrition support for low-income patients.
Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized will have coverage for specified food and nutrition services, improving inpatient nutrition support.
Hospitals and health systems can bill Medicare for these nutrition services (payment at 80% of charge), enabling reimbursement and supporting provision of nutrition care.
Medicare beneficiaries may face higher out-of-pocket costs because Medicare payment is set at 80% of the actual charge, leaving potential cost-sharing liability.
State governments will face increased Medicaid costs because the food and nutrition service is a new mandatory benefit, putting pressure on state budgets or prompting program adjustments.
Hospitals and health systems (and related state oversight) will incur administrative burden from new documentation, billing, and Secretary-specified requirements to qualify services, increasing operational costs.
Based on analysis of 1 section of legislative text.
Adds specified inpatient food and nutrition services as covered Medicare Part A and mandatory Medicaid benefits and sets Medicare payment at 80% of actual charge.
Official title: To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to require coverage of certain food and nutrition services under the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Introduced April 20, 2026 by Raul Ruiz · Last progress April 20, 2026
Adds specified "food and nutrition services" to the list of services covered for Medicare Part A inpatient hospital care and to Medicaid medical assistance as a mandatory benefit. Requires Medicare to pay 80% of the actual charge for those specified food and nutrition services and makes the changes effective for items and services furnished 180 days after enactment. The bill requires the Secretary to specify the requirements for covered food and nutrition services and updates Medicaid’s mandatory-benefit cross-reference so the new service is included among required state-covered benefits.