Centene, one of the country’s largest managed care organizations, recently called on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to remove regulatory barriers that limit Medicare Advantage plans from covering “food as medicine” interventions. The proposal would allow insurers greater flexibility to offer nutrition-based treatments and services aimed at preventing and managing chronic disease.For a movement that has largely focused on food ingredients, dietary guidelines, and nutrition policy, the development signals an important evolution. If MAHA’s goal is to reduce the burden of chronic illness in America, reforming the incentives within the healthcare system may prove just as important as reforming the food supply itself.
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Over the past year, MAHA advocates have scored notable victories by persuading companies and consumers rather than relying solely on government mandates. The push to remove artificial food dyes from popular products has demonstrated the movement’s ability to work with the private sector while responding to growing consumer demand for healthier options.
This approach stands in contrast to many previous public-health initiatives, which often relied on top-down directives and regulatory mandates. Efforts to improve Americans’ eating habits have frequently focused on changing what institutions provide rather than empowering individuals to make healthier choices and encouraging businesses to meet that demand.
