Bill Details
HR.1289 - 119th Congress
Status
Latest action
2025-03-14 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Introduced Date
2025-02-13
Policy Area
Armed Forces and National Security
Committees
View committees (1)
Sponsors
Cosponsors
View cosponsors (2)
8
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AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This bill would create a new Veterans Affairs pilot program that gives some veterans medically tailored meals and groceries, along with nutrition education and cooking classes. The goal is to help veterans with serious health needs get food that matches their medical conditions and to see whether this kind of support improves health, quality of life, and possibly lowers medical costs. The VA would also train health care staff to better connect food support with treatment plans and work with local groups like food banks and farming programs to provide fresh food.
- Veterans could qualify if they are enrolled in VA health care and have certain chronic conditions such as diabetes, cancer, or heart failure.
- It would also cover some veterans receiving maternal health care, including prenatal, delivery, or postpartum care, if they are at risk for preeclampsia or gestational diabetes.
- The VA would have to share annual reports with Congress on how many veterans participated, what health changes were seen, how the program affected care use and quality of life, and whether it saved money.
- The program would be funded for fiscal years 2025 through 2028, and the VA’s authority to run it would end three years after the bill becomes law.
Official Summaries
Veterans Nutrition and Wellness Act of 2025
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish and implement the Food is Medicine pilot program, under which the VA must provide medically tailored meals and groceries, nutrition education, and cooking classes to certain veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system. Specifically, the program is for veterans enrolled in the VA health care system who receive VA care for (1) multiple chronic conditions, or (2) maternal health and are at risk of preeclampsia or gestational diabetes.
The three-year pilot program also requires the VA to (1) develop and seek to implement training programs for VA health care providers in integrating the program into the treatment plans of veterans, and (2) seek to collaborate with community-based organizations to procure locally sourced produce and expand the availability of medically tailored meals and groceries.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1289 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1289
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish and carry out
a pilot program to administer to eligible veterans medically-tailored
meals and groceries, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 13, 2025
Mr. Buchanan (for himself and Ms. Moore of Wisconsin) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish and carry out
a pilot program to administer to eligible veterans medically-tailored
meals and groceries, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Nutrition and Wellness Act
of 2025''.
SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PILOT PROGRAM TO ADMINISTER
MEDICALLY-TAILORED MEALS AND GROCERIES TO CERTAIN
ELIGIBLE VETERANS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
establish and carry out a pilot program (to be known as the ``Food is
Medicine program'').
(b) Functions.--Under the Food is Medicine program, the Secretary
shall,
(1) with respect to eligible veterans described in
subsection (c)--
(A) administer medically-tailored meals and
medically-tailored groceries; and
(B) furnish nutrition education and cooking classes
through a registered dieticians, nutritionists, and
community health workers;
(2) develop and seek to implement training programs for
health care providers employed by the Department of Veterans
Affairs with respect to the integration of the Food is Medicine
program in the treatment plans of veterans receiving health
care under the laws administered by the Secretary; and
(3) seek to collaborate with community-based organizations,
including food banks and local agriculture programs, to--
(A) procure fresh and locally-sourced produce; and
(B) expand the availability of medically-tailored
meals and medically-tailored groceries.
(c) Eligibility.--An eligible veteran described in this subsection
is a veteran (as defined in section 101 of title 38, United States
Code) who is enrolled in the system of annual patient enrollment
established and operated under section 1705 of such section and--
(1) receives health care furnished by the Department with
respect to multiple chronic conditions, including diabetes,
cancer, or heart failure; or
(2) receives such health care with respect to maternal
health, including prenatal care, labor and delivery care,
postpartum care, and is at risk of preeclampsia or gestational
diabetes.
(d) Regional Balance.--In carrying out the Food is Medicine
program, the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable ensure
geographic diversity of the pilot program offices of the Food is
Medicine program.
(e) Report.--During the period the authority to carry out the Food
is Medicine program is effective, the Secretary shall submit to
Congress an annual report on such program that includes--
(1) the number of eligible veterans participating in such
program;
(2) with respect to such eligible veterans, a summary of--
(A) health outcomes;
(B) effects on physical and mental health;
(C) quality of life; and
(D) the extent of utilization of health care under
the laws administered by the Secretary;
(3) an evaluation of the effectiveness of such program,
including estimated cost savings to the Department of Veterans
Affairs; and
(4) recommendations of the Secretary with respect to
potential improvements to such program.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), there are
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for fiscal years
2025 through 2028 such sums as may be necessary to carry out
the Food is Medicine program.
(2) Use of funds.--Any amounts appropriated pursuant to
paragraph (1) shall be used for--
(A) developing and operating the Food is Medicine
program;
(B) hiring registered dieticians and nutrition
specialists;
(C) conducting research and evaluations; and
(D) establishing partnerships with local
organizations pursuant to subsection (b)(3).
(g) Termination Date.--The authority of the Secretary to carry out
the Food is Medicine program shall terminate on the date that is three
years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(h) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) The term ``medically-tailored groceries'' means
nutritious food for an individual with a diet-sensitive
condition curated to the treatment plan of such individual.
(2) The term ``medically-tailored meals'' means nutritious
meals customized for an individual with a severe chronic
condition or limitation in activities of daily living.
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