AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA)— The High Plains Food Bank (HPFB) is urging state legislators to pass the “Food is Medicine” bill by partnering with the Feeding Texas network.
The bill will allow food banks to help those in need by providing healthy foods with a Medicaid reimbursement to cover nutrition support services.
All community members who may encounter food insecurity and high rates of chronic and diet-related diseases would be eligible to receive a food box.
“We’ve had many people come in and say ‘I’m diabetic. I can only eat certain foods, is there certain things that you have available, that is really available for these medical conditions.‘ And that’s where that reimbursement comes in. It helps us allow, to access, you know, we would be able to tailor a food box,” said Zach Wilson, executive director for HPFB.
Currently, HPFB has partnered with Heal the City to help provide food boxes for their patients.
Dr. Trey Bowen with Heal the City says many chronic preventions can be directly tied back to diet.
“I have seen so many patients that when they have the opportunity to change their diets such as their focusing on more whole fruits, whole vegetables, lean meats and protein, the impact that it has on their blood sugar, on their blood pressure, some people can even go into remission for their diabetes without any medication with the right diet,” said Dr. Trey Bowen, Heal the City.
With the help of this bill, people within the healthcare industry would also have the ability to write out prescriptions for patients.
That prescription can provide information on the exact foods and meals the patient may need.
These are just the first stages in hopes of the bill being passed.
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