H.R. 1289 — Veterans Nutrition and Wellness Act of 2025

This section provides the short title of the Act as the “Veterans Nutrition and Wellness Act of 2025.”

This section establishes a Department of Veterans Affairs pilot program, to be known as the Food is Medicine program, within 180 days after enactment to provide medically-tailored meals and medically-tailored groceries to eligible veterans enrolled in the VA patient enrollment system under 38 U.S.C. § 1705 who receive care for multiple chronic conditions, including diabetes, cancer, or heart failure, or who receive maternal health care, including prenatal, labor and delivery, or postpartum care, and are at risk of preeclampsia or gestational diabetes. As background, the program is designed to integrate nutrition services into veterans’ health care by furnishing nutrition education and cooking classes, developing training for VA health care providers, and collaborating with community-based organizations, including food banks and local agriculture programs, to procure fresh, locally sourced produce and expand access to medically-tailored meals and groceries. This section directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, geographic diversity among pilot program offices and to submit annual reports to Congress during the period the program authority remains in effect. The reports must include the number of participating veterans, summaries of health outcomes, physical and mental health effects, quality of life, utilization of VA health care, an evaluation of program effectiveness and estimated cost savings, and recommendations for improvements. This section authorizes such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2025 through 2028 to carry out the program and limits use of those funds to program development and operations, hiring registered dieticians and nutrition specialists, conducting research and evaluations, and establishing partnerships with local organizations. It also terminates the Secretary’s authority to carry out the program 3 years after enactment. (Thus, the pilot is temporary and funded only for FY2025 through FY2028.)