The ability to offer non-medical benefits to both improve quality and cost-effectiveness for qualied CalAIM consumers is significant, especially where Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) present major barriers to health and well-being for chronically ill and unhoused individuals. CalAIM is forward-thinking in their ability to offer medically tailored food for eligible individuals through CalAIM plans that elect to offer this benefit.
One barrier to offering medically tailored meals is the ability to create relationships between CBOs, or the organizations that deliver meals, and Managed Care Plans under CalAIM. Many organizations that deliver meals have not previously accepted insurance for services delivered, nor have MCPs offered this benefit within their health plan.
Plans that offered primarily health-related benefits increased significantly between 2018 and 2024 including services such as meals, transportation, in-home support services and acupuncture.
Plans should explore the opportunity to contract with organizations that deliver medically-tailored meals and offer additional supplemental benefits, especially where these services can result in improved outcomes of care for highly vulnerable enrollees.