Bipartisan Bill Introduced in Congress to Integrate Produce into Chronic Disease Management
A new bipartisan bill, H.R. 8355, named the Accountable Produce is Medicine Act of 2026, has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) and Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KA). A companion bill, S. 5267, was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) and Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA). This legislation proposes a five-year pilot program to bundle payments to healthcare providers who incorporate fresh produce into health management plans for patients with chronic diseases. The program aims to provide these services at no cost to patients while collecting data on how improved diets can combat diet-related chronic illnesses. The initiative would operate under Section 1115A of the Social Security Act, allowing the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to assess its effectiveness in reducing Medicare and Medicaid costs and enhancing patient care. The Department of Health and Human Services would select five programs to participate, enrolling existing Medicare or Medic...
