Nutrition Services Request for Information (RFI)

​Help shape food and nutrition services in Maryland Medicaid

The Maryland Department of Health is seeking public input on a proposal to incorporate food and nutrition services into Maryland’s Medicaid program starting in 2028. Using In Lieu of Services and Settings (ILOS) authority, the Department is exploring how programs such as medically tailored meals and produce prescriptions could address eligible Medicaid enrollees' health-related nutrition needs. ILOS gives Medicaid managed care organizations the option to provide Department-approved services as cost-effective alternatives to, or complements of, traditional covered services.

This effort builds on Maryland’s existing Food is Medicine investments, including the Medically Tailored Meals initiative and the Produce Prescription program, both of which are supported by the Population Health Improvement Fund. The Department will also draw on lessons from Maryland’s participation in the AHEAD model and the Rural Health Transformation Program as this work moves forward.

This RFI is for planning and information gathering purposes only. No contracts or grants will be awarded on the basis of responses. A formal request for proposals or grant application process may follow at a later date.

Background

For more details on the proposal and a complete list of questions in the RFI, please review the background document (PDF) at https://health.maryland.gov/AHEAD/docs/Medicaid%20ILOS%20Food%20RFI%202026.pdf​. 

Medicaid enrollees, providers, community leaders, and other stakeholders are all encouraged to respond. Your input will help inform the Department’s approach to nutrition-related ILOS in Maryland.


How to respond