NJ S4598

Establishes a three-year "Food is Medicine NJ Pilot Program" within the Department of Human Services to integrate nutrition interventions into the healthcare system for Medicaid recipients with diet-related chronic conditions

Delivers medically tailored meals to up to 3,000 high-risk Medicaid recipients with complex chronic conditions and provides produce prescriptions and nutrition education to an additional 7,000 recipients at risk of diet-related illness

Eligibility requires enrollment in NJ FamilyCare, healthcare provider referral, and diagnosis of diabetes, heart failure, renal disease, cancer, or obesity-related illness

Appropriates $5,000,000 from the General Fund and requires a third-party evaluator to measure program effectiveness on emergency room visits, hospitalizations, medication adherence, and Medicaid cost savings

Requires an interim report within 18 months and a final report by year three, with the program expiring upon submission of the final evaluation report unless extended by the Legislature