The Accountable PRODUCE is Medicine Act, HR 8355
Ways and Means Committee hearing on the Department of Health and Human Service Launched Bill
Prescriptions for Real Food
WASHINGTON — April 21, 2026 Press Release,
Representatives Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) and Sharice Davids (KS-03) introduced the bipartisan Accountable Produce is Medicine Act (H.R. 8355), legislation aimed at modernizing the U.S. health care system by incorporating proven nutrition-based interventions to prevent and manage chronic disease. This legislation would direct the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to test a new bundled payment model that integrates “produce prescriptions” interventions into care for patients with chronic diseases. Through this “food is medicine” approach, eligible individuals would gain access to nutrition-focused support, including healthy foods, care coordination, and monitoring services, with the goal of improving health outcomes and reducing overall health care costs.
Get with the New Food Triangle
The first-ever national Bill for Food is Medicine taking into account the health outcomes and the soil health as well. With preferential sourcing from regenerative and local farms for maximum nutrient density foods as our medicine, you want to read this inspiring bill. Thank you Erin Martin @ Fresh Rx, Ellen Brown, and Paul Lee for propelling us all forward with this life saving Accountable FIM pilot bill and Florida is all in. All Aboard!
The message is simple: eat real food.
Prioritize whole, healthy, and nutritious foods with the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans!
America is the greatest country on Earth. And the sickest. Highly processed food has hollowed out our health, driving obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and early death. The truth is simple: real food restores health.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030 is the current edition, released in January 2026. It marks a significant shift with the central message: "Eat real food". This edition emphasizes whole, nutrient-dense foods—such as protein, dairy, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, and whole grains—while calling for a dramatic reduction in highly processed foods.
Learn more about the historic reset of Dietary Guidelines Impact Report
View the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030
New Hospital Guidance Keys:
- Limiting ultra-processed foods and eliminating processed meats and foods high in added sugars, sodium, or artificial additives.
- Eliminating sugar-sweetened beverages except in limited, clinically appropriate scenarios.
- Replacing refined grains with 100% whole grains and prioritizing minimally processed proteins, including plant-based options.
- Emphasizing vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, seafood, and healthy fats.
- Eliminating deep-fried cooking methods in favor of baking, broiling, roasting, stir-frying, or grilling.
- Ensuring meals contain less than 10 grams of added sugar, unless clinically appropriate.
CMS Alert
On March 30, 2026, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a Quality & Safety Special Alert Memo (QSSAM-26-03) urging hospitals to align their nutrition services with the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs). This guidance links existing Conditions of Participation (CoPs) under 42 C.F.R. § 482.28 to the new DGAs, signaling that compliance with federal dietary standards is now integral to assessing whether hospitals meet the requirement to provide diets consistent with “recognized dietary practices.” The memo encourages hospitals to proactively review and revise standard menus, therapeutic diet orders, and food procurement practices to prioritize whole, minimally processed foods.
Tallahasee Florida Voice for Health Advocates Meet with Legislators
LIVE ANNOUNCEMENT OF INTENT TO FILE FL FIM PILOT BIll
Live Announcement @ FL FIM Symposium
Watch Rep. Debra Tendrich (@6:26) announce her plans to file the 2026 Food is Medicine Bill for Medicaid ILOS pilot in three counties of Florida at the 3rd Annual Florida FiM Symposium at Holy Cross Hospital Healthplex October 23rd, 2025.
HB 1315 / SB 1470
HB 1315 / SB 1470 - Behavioral Health Intervention Services
Authorizes, contingent upon appropriation, state Medicaid plan to fund demonstration pilot program for specified purposes in specified counties. Read all about it here.
Hello Florida - Imagine if Doctors write Rx..
WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY :
Food is Medicine is paid for by Medicaid via ILOS in Texas.
- We copied the Texas HB 26 Bill, now a Law fully enacted!
Why not Florida?
It's Committee Time!
The committee Chair & Members need to hear from you! Our two bills have to go through assigned committees in each chamber, the House and the Senate.
Now in Health Care Facilities & Systems Subcommittee 01/15/2026 - 6:38 PM
- Chair Adam Anderson - (850) 717-5057 or email
1/16/2026 Senate • Referred to Health Policy; Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services; Appropriations
- Chair Sen. Colleen Burton - (850) 487-5012, Ask for Legislative Aide Lara Medley or email
SCRIPT-->
"Hello, my name is ____, and I live in_____ I am interested in the Behavioral Health Bill and want you to vote YES on HB 1315 or SB 1470. I believe this is important for people to take accountability, and be given the opportunity to get well using food as their medicine. Plus it saves Florida money, and generates $1 Billion in new revenues into Florida businesses. I believe its very important. Thank you."
Making the case
Why Florida is Ready?
- Healthcare and Nutrition Subject Matter Experts with FL Health & Nutrition Coalition
- Research, Evaluation & Waiver Expertise & Experience in Florida already
- One Evaluated FiM program in Florida: Healthy Food Prescription with Tufts University
- 3,000-member FiM network of stakeholders in Florida and growing already
- 8 RNOE's - FiM program implementing partners in Milken Institute Food Rx Stakeholder Map models with FiM programs running and health outcomes already in Florida
Here is a set of materials and info you can read, print out, and share to educate your friends, family and legislators:
- Emergency Room Diversion Facts
- Florida Food is Medicine Fact Sheet 2024 by Center for Health Law Policy and Innovation at Harvard Law School
- Healthy Food Prescription Video Presentation