Accountable Produce is Medicine Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8355
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-16: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-04T08:07:48Z
AI-Generated Summary
Accountable Produce is Medicine Act of 2026 (H.R. 8355)
Purpose
The bill requires the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI)—a part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services—to test a new payment model called the Accountable Produce is Medicine Bundled Payment Model. This model aims to reduce chronic diseases (like diabetes, obesity, and heart disease) by providing bundled payments for nutrition-focused services, emphasizing "food is medicine" interventions such as healthy produce prescriptions.
Key Provisions
- Sense of Congress: Recognizes diet-related chronic diseases as a major driver of U.S. healthcare costs and supports testing food-based interventions (e.g., medically tailored meals, produce prescriptions, nutrition counseling) to improve health and cut spending.
- Mandatory Model Testing: CMMI must begin testing the model within 180 days of enactment, selecting at least 5 eligible programs (e.g., enrolled Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP providers/suppliers) for at least 2 years each.
- Priority for Selection: Programs that provide fresh/frozen minimally processed fruits/vegetables (low in added sugars, sodium, fats) and nutrient-dense plant-based foods (e.g., nuts, whole grains, beans).
- Program Requirements:
- Screen referrals from doctors/hospitals to identify eligible individuals (detailed below).
- For 1 year, provide Accountable Produce is Medicine (APIM) services at no cost to participants (no deductibles, copays, etc.), including:
- Personalized health assessments and prevention plans.
- Care coordination, telehealth, remote monitoring, lifestyle programs (nutrition counseling, exercise, smoking cessation).
- Healthy, nutrient-dense foods (prefer local produce within 250 miles or from regenerative agriculture—farming that improves soil, water, and ecosystems).
- Track engagement, collect quarterly health data (e.g., weight, blood pressure, glucose), evaluate outcomes, and assess reenrollment after 1 year.
- Allow disenrollment for poor engagement.
- Payments: Bundled payments under Medicare (Title XVIII), Medicaid (Title XIX), or CHIP (Title XXI); programs may take on financial risk starting year 3.
- Duration: At least 5 years.
- Eligible Individuals: Medicare/Part B beneficiaries, Medicaid/CHIP enrollees in underserved/rural/health professional shortage areas with chronic conditions (e.g., diabetes, hypertension); must benefit clinically, be ready to participate, and not duplicate existing services.
- Eligible Programs: Enrolled providers/suppliers under Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amends Section 1115A of the Social Security Act (CMMI's authority to test innovative payment models):
- Mandates inclusion of this specific model in CMMI's portfolio.
- Adds new subsection (h) detailing the model's structure, requirements, and definitions—shifting from voluntary to required testing of nutrition-focused bundled payments.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: CMMI must implement, select programs, set payment amounts, evaluate cost savings, and report data; could inform future Medicare/Medicaid expansions if successful.
- Citizens: Improved access to free nutrition/services for ~1 year for eligible patients with chronic diseases in underserved areas, potentially leading to better health outcomes, lower healthcare costs, and reduced chronic disease burden.
- No direct impacts on international relations.
Main Stakeholders
- Patients: Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP enrollees with chronic conditions in rural/underserved areas.
- Healthcare Providers/Programs: Selected facilities/suppliers delivering APIM services.
- Government: CMMI, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
- Food Producers: Local farmers using regenerative agriculture or providing nutrient-dense produce.
- Health Professionals: Physicians, dietitians, coordinators referring/screening patients.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Relies on CMMI's existing authority for voluntary models (not permanent benefits), with built-in evaluation for cost savings; defines terms like "regenerative agriculture" to guide implementation.
- Constitutional: Uses Congress's power to regulate interstate commerce and spending on federal health programs.
- Political: Bipartisan introduction (Reps. Smucker and Davids); emphasizes prevention, cost reduction, and rural/underserved focus without mandating broad entitlements—could set precedent for expanding "food is medicine" in public insurance.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (5)
Rep. Davids, Sharice [D-KS-3], Rep. Mann, Tracey [R-KS-1], Rep. Miller, Max L. [R-OH-7], Rep. Langworthy, Nicholas A. [R-NY-23], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-16: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-04-16: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-04-16: Introduced in House
- 2026-04-16: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Accountable Produce is Medicine Act of 2026 — issued 2026-04-16 — PDF (10 pages)