H.R. 5439 — Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act

This section establishes a Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program under Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance), to be conducted for a 6-year period beginning not later than 30 months after enactment of the section. (As background, the program requires selected hospitals to screen inpatients during discharge planning using validated tools, identify qualified individuals, provide them with at least two daily medically tailored home-delivered meals—or portioned equivalents—meeting at least two-thirds of daily nutritional needs and responsive to medical and cultural needs for successive 12-week periods throughout hospital participation, and furnish medical nutrition therapy for 12 weeks to one year, with the aim of improving clinical health outcomes and reducing readmissions.) The Secretary shall select at least 40 eligible hospitals by June 30, 2027, defined as subsection (d) hospitals (i.e., acute care prospective payment system hospitals) averaging at least three stars on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services overall hospital quality star rating for the two most recent fiscal years prior to selection or critical access hospitals that submit applications attesting to capacity (or arrangements for services), meet program integrity standards, and provide required data. Selected hospitals must maintain specified staffing (e.g., physician, registered dietitian or nutrition professional, advanced practice nurse, or clinical social worker); conduct re-screening of qualified individuals every 12 weeks; and submit data on program effects as specified by the Secretary. Payments to selected hospitals are determined by the Secretary, considering amounts from other payers for similar services, with no deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, or other cost-sharing applied to beneficiaries.