​​August 19, 2026 

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Amanda Hils, Assistant Director for Media Relations, [email protected]

Maryland Department of Health seeks public input on expanding nutrition services through Medicaid
Public input will help shape proposed food and nutrition services for Maryland Medicaid through In Lieu of Services beginning in 2028 

BALTIMORE, MD — The Maryland Department of Health today issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking public input on incorporating services to meet health-related nutrition needs into Maryland’s Medicaid program starting in 2028.

The proposed initiative would use In Lieu of Services and Settings (ILOS) authority to provide food and nutrition services to eligible Medicaid enrollees with specific chronic conditions. ILOS allows Medicaid managed care organizations to offer Department-approved services that are medically appropriate and cost-effective alternatives to, or complements of, traditional covered services. 

“Nutrition-related ILOS helps answer a fundamental question: How do we organize the health care system around what actually improves health?” said Maryland Department of Health Secretary Dr. Meena Seshamani. “Making healthy food a sustainable part of care can help Marylanders manage chronic disease and avoid complications, thereby improving health outcomes and spending the health care dollar in a smarter way.”

Beginning in 2028, the Department intends to pursue food and nutrition-related services as an approved ILOS within HealthChoice, Maryland’s Medicaid managed care program. Potential services could include Food is Medicine interventions such as medically tailored meals and produce prescriptions. Both are health care interventions that have been shown to improve health outcomes for patients with certain chronic conditions. 

This work builds on Maryland’s existing investments in Food Is Medicine, including the Medically Tailored Meals initiative, which operates in six counties, and the Produce Prescription (Rx) program, set to launch later this summer. Both are supported by the Population Health Improvement Fund. The Department will draw on lessons from these programs, as well as the Rural Health Transformation Program, to inform the Medicaid ILOS approach.

“As families across Maryland face growing challenges with food security and rising costs, integrating nutrition into health care provides vital, targeted support for our most vulnerable residents living with chronic conditions,” said Deputy Secretary for Health Care Financing and Medicaid Director Perrie Briskin. “We encourage all stakeholders—from enrollees and providers to local community leaders—to submit feedback to help us shape how these services are delivered across Maryland.” 

Responses to the RFI are due by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. To review the Request for Information and submit feedback, visit bit.ly/MDHNutritionServicesRFI. For more information, visit health.maryland.gov/AHEAD/Pages/ILOSRFI.aspx.