Ways and Means hearing spotlights 'food as medicine' and policy levers to curb chronic disease

The House Ways and Means Committee's Subcommittee on Health convened a panel of physicians, researchers and plan executives to examine chronic disease prevention and treatment and to urge federal policy changes that would expand use of nutrition-based interventions.

Senator Bill Frist, a physician and former U.S. Senate majority leader, and physicians Mark Hyman, Anne Peters, Francesca Rinaldo and Ashley Gerhardt told the committee that diet — especially the rise of ultra-processed foods — is a leading, modifiable driver of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions. "Nutritious foods are now recognized as being fundamental to prevention of disease," Frist said in his opening remarks. Several witnesses summarized evidence and pilot programs they said show that food-based interventions can prevent disease, improve clinical outcomes and reduce costs.

The witnesses described several policy approaches that they said merit congressional attention. Dr. Mark Hyman, who leads the Food Fix campaign, told the subcommittee that "food is medicine" and urged expanding demonstrations and reimbursement for medically tailored meals, produce-prescription programs, nutrition counseling and group-based lifestyle programs. Hyman…