DEAR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS
Jim Mc Govern
When I was a kid, my grandmother used to say that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. I wish she were still around so I could tell her that she was right!
Food is medicine. There is no doubt that what we eat plays a huge role in our overall health, yet our federal policies are decades behind the science on this. We prioritize treatment instead of prevention by relying on costly hospital visits and expensive prescription drugs instead of addressing the underlying issues that lead to chronic conditions.
Earlier today, I hosted Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Community Servings CEO David Waters, and East Boston Neighborhood Health Center CEO Manny Lopes to talk about the importance of food as medicine, why all communities should have access to affordable nutritious food, and how improved access to medically tailored meals could revolutionize healthcare in America.
Click below to watch our full conversation.
In May, I introduced the bipartisan Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Demonstration Pilot Act of 2020, with the support of Representatives Jackie Walorski (R-IN), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), and Roger Marshall (R-KS). This bill would establish a pilot program to address the critical link between diet, chronic illness, and health.
My bill, and our conversation today, aims to show that by providing medically tailored meals to vulnerable seniors, we can lower hospital admissions, improve outcomes, save money, and build a more just an eqitable healthcare system for all. It would transform America’s sick-care system into a health care system, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this important bipartisan bill.
I hope you’ll listen to our conversation and support this important new bill I’ve introduced.
Sincerely,
Jim Mc Govern