FL H0253

Creates the "Food is Medicine Pilot Program" (s. 409.90203, F.S.) requiring the Agency for Health Care Administration and the Department of Health to provide Medicaid coverage by July 1, 2025, for prescribed health-promoting foods — including medically precise nutrition groceries, medically tailored meals, and produce prescriptions — for recipients with or at risk of diet-related diseases or chronic conditions such as diabetes, coronary artery disease, cancer, obesity, and renal disease

Requires the agency to seek federal approval under Section 1115 of the Social Security Act for an initial 5-year pilot period and to pursue any necessary federal waivers, including waivers to secure Title XIX Medicaid matching funds for all general revenue, family contributions, and local contributions

Allocates up to 15 percent of the pilot program's implementation budget to the Florida Health and Nutrition Coalition, a nonprofit corporation, to establish and operate the Florida Food is Medicine Center of Excellence as an online research and expertise repository covering areas such as research, food sourcing, community outreach, education, health disparities, and nutrition standards

Mandates nutrition education providers, including UF/IFAS educators, to refer pilot program patients to SNAP, TANF, and WIC, and requires annual program evaluations measuring health biomarkers, nutrition security, behavior change, food insecurity reduction, and cost savings, with reports filed to the Legislature

Directs the agency and the Department of Health to adopt rules governing meal quality and delivery standards, per-recipient funding allowances, provider reimbursement methodology, and notification to Medicaid providers and recipients about program availability