Medically tailored meals–nourishing foods that cater to the specific health needs of older adults–have a multitude of benefits and are quickly becoming a key ingredient in the “food is medicine” approach to health care. Food is medicine means providing access to nutritious food to improve health with the idea that healthy diets foster healthy individuals.
Medically tailored meal benefit programs deliver on this concept, and can be added to Medicare Advantage plans for older adults and other Medicare beneficiaries, as well as those dual-qualified for Medicaid and Medicare–with compelling positive outcomes for both plan administrators and plan members, from better dietary adherence to significant cost savings.
What are medically tailored meals?
Medically tailored meals (MTMs) are nutritionally customized meals that are prepared and delivered to people with chronic or severe illnesses. MTMs are created in consultation with a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) or other state-credentialed nutrition professional. As a foundation of food is medicine, they are at the forefront of nationwide initiatives through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to improve health outcomes for people with chronic health conditions and are part of the movement to improve health equity.
Medically tailored meals are designed to meet the specific medical needs of the recipient, and can help prevent, lower the risk, or manage conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, HIV, hypertension, high cholesterol, chronic kidney disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and COPD.
“While a general diet likely meets basic nutritional needs, it’s not specifically designed to address the unique requirements of a medical condition,” explains Registered Dietitian Erin Dixon. “Medically tailored meals are different; they focus on the precise nutrient balance required for a specific condition, such as closely monitoring carbohydrate levels for diabetics…promoting better outcomes.”
The benefits of providing medically tailored meals to Medicare plan members
Medically tailored meal programs can have several benefits for both members and insurers, including improved health outcomes, lower cost of care, increased patient satisfaction, and reduced healthcare utilization.
People who receive medically tailored meal benefits often find it easier to stick to dietary guidelines for their health condition, and older adults who have difficulty shopping or cooking for themselves enjoy the convenience of medically tailored meal delivery.
Medically tailored meals can also help to prevent chronic conditions from worsening and reduce the need for costly hospital visits and treatments. According to research cited in our white paper on food is medicine, there are many measurable advantages to offering health plan meal benefits:
- Providing medically tailored meals could result in an annual healthcare cost reduction of $27-48 billion.1
- Medically tailored meals improved adherence to dietary recommendations to greater than 90% of heart disease patients.2
- Medically tailored meals help the 5% of patients that generate 50% of healthcare costs.3
- Receipt of medically tailored meals led to a 16% reduction in total health care costs.4
How LiveWell with Traditions ensures our meals are medically compliant
Among medically tailored meal providers, Livewell with Traditions offers one of the most comprehensive processes to ensure our meals meet the necessary nutritional guidelines. Here are some of the ways we provide peace of mind to members and insurers about the quality of our meals:
- Our MTMs are developed by a team of in-house registered dietitians and crafted by our executive chef and director of culinary and innovation in our research and development kitchen.
- All meals follow the nutritional guidelines of the Older Americans Act, comply with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and reflect precise dietary factors that benefit older adults with certain health conditions and qualify for federal funding.
- Our meal offerings are reviewed and updated based on member feedback and nutritional science advancements, and backed by culturally appropriate education.
A variety of medically tailored meals from LiveWell with Traditions
Our dietitian-designed meal delivery program features medically appropriate ingredients that support the concept of Food is Medicine, with menu items designed to cater to a range of conditions and lifestyles:
- Heart healthy (lower in sodium and fat)
- Low sodium (for overall wellness and individuals with high blood pressure)
- Diabetic-friendly (carbohydrate controlled and lower in sodium)
- Renal-friendly (limited sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and liquids)
- Vegetarian (ovo-lacto meals for a plant-based diet)
- Gluten-aware (for those with celiac disease, gluten ataxia, or gluten sensitivities)
We offer 80+ meal options, rotated twice annually to avoid menu fatigue. From comfort foods like smoked sausage with mac & cheese and BBQ chicken to ethnically inspired options like huevos rancheros and Thai chili meatballs with rice, our meals are prepared to be nutritionally balanced, satisfying, and delicious.
“Beyond nutrition, dietitians focus on the visual and sensory appeal of the meals—incorporating a variety of colors, shapes, and flavors to make the meals enjoyable and enticing,” says Dixon. “This combination of science and creativity helps ensure members are not just nourished but motivated to eat, supporting better health.”
Contact LiveWell with Traditions about providing MTMs to your members
As a leading medically tailored meal provider in the U.S., LiveWell with Traditions has 60+ years of experience in condition-specific meal delivery, preparing them with a team of expert dietitians and chefs to be nutritious, enjoyable, and compliant with medically recognized standards and associations. All of this means you can rest assured that LiveWell with Traditions will deliver the nutrition older adults need, with results you can recognize.
Contact LiveWell with Traditions for more information about our medically tailored meals, or to discuss the benefits of bringing our meal program to your Medicare and Medicaid members.
References:
- “Food as medicine” – NLM/NIH
- NCBI
- Food is Medicine Coalition
- Read the studies by Berkowitz, et. al. in full here.
