Shapiro Administration Highlights Governor’s Proposed Budget Investments to Provide Healthy Meals to Medicaid Recipients | Department of Human Services | Commonwealth of[...]

Governor Josh Shapiro's proposed 2026-27 budget includes $900,000 in state funds to invest in nutritious and medically tailored meals for Medicaid recipients with certain chronic health conditions.

Medically tailored meals can help a person more effectively manage their health conditions, which can improve their quality of life and reduce health care costs.

Bethlehem, PA - Today, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh highlighted how Governor Josh Shapiro's 2026-27 Budget Proposal invests $900,000 in state funding for the Investments in Health pilot program, which will provide nutritious, medically tailored meals to Medicaid recipients with chronic health conditions.

During a visit to New Bethany, Secretary Arkoosh toured the organization's food pantry and met with local leadership for a roundtable discussion on the importance of access to healthy food for individuals, families, and communities.

Secretary Arkoosh shared how the Investments in Health program will support Medicaid recipients with chronic health conditions. This proposed investment of state funds allows Pennsylvania to leverage additional federal matching funds, which will bring total funding to $2.3 million. Medically tailored meals are a proven strategy to help Medicaid recipients manage their health conditions, improve their overall health, and reduce health care costs. 

"Research has shown that healthy eating and balanced, nutrient-rich diets have great benefits throughout a person's life. For people who already have conditions like congestive heart failure or type 2 diabetes, tailoring meals to their specific medical needs improves management of their conditions and overall health and quality of life," said Secretary Arkoosh. "When we make strategic investments in proven prevention efforts like providing nutritious meals for Medicaid recipients with chronic health conditions, we are helping people be healthier, and we are creating real cost savings for the Commonwealth. Investments like these are a win-win for individual Pennsylvanians, for our communities, and for our state."

Investments in Health will provide funding in three key areas:

• Food is Medicine: $900,000 in state funds to leverage federal investment for a total of $2.3 million to support a pilot program that will bring medically tailored meals to Medicaid recipients with diet-sensitive health conditions.

• Reentry Supports: $900,000 in state funds to leverage additional federal funding for a total of $2.7 million that will support pre-release Medicaid coverage for incarcerated individuals returning to their communities from State Correctional Institutions.

• Housing Stability: $1 million in state funding to leverage additional federal funding for a total of $2.5 million to launch a pilot that will help Pennsylvanians experiencing homelessness connect to stable housing and services.

Targeted budget investments in these proven services have been shown to improve people's health and quality of life, reduce health care costs and hospital visits, improve public safety and reduce recidivism.

New Bethany is a Bethlehem-based nonprofit committed to serving individuals and families facing poverty, hunger, and homelessness. Since its founding in 1985, New Bethany has provided critical services to its community, including food access, housing programs, and case management. With a mission rooted in dignity and compassion, New Bethany offers emergency food assistance, affordable housing options, and a variety of support services. Through a combination of direct assistance and strong community partnerships, New Bethany empowers neighbors to achieve self-sufficiency and long-term stability.

"At New Bethany, we've seen firsthand how access to nutritious food can be a game-changer for individuals and families facing homelessness and hunger," said John Marc Rittle, Executive Director of New Bethany. "Governor Shapiro's proposed investments in medically tailored meals will not only improve the quality of life for many of our neighbors, but also help reduce long-term healthcare costs, ultimately benefiting the community as a whole. We're excited to see the state prioritizing health and nutrition as part of a larger strategy to create sustainable, equitable solutions to food insecurity."

Building on Three Years of Progress

Under Governor Shapiro's leadership, his Administration has advanced initiatives to reduce hunger and expand access to nutritious food:

• Governor Shapiro's 2025-26 budget included a historic $11 million increase for food security, including $2 million for a new state Food Bucks program to supplement SNAP and $5 million in new funding to Pennsylvania food banks.

• Expanded universal free breakfast for 1.7 million students and free lunch for 22,000 students - serving nearly 93 million breakfasts last school year.

• Continued Summer EBT and increased State Food Purchase Program support for children and seniors.

• Filed a lawsuit against the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for unlawfully terminating the $13 million Local Food Purchasing Assistance (LFPA) Program, which supports 189 Pennsylvania farms and 14 food banks.

• Responded swiftly to the federal shutdown by signing a disaster declaration, directing $5 million to Feeding Pennsylvania's food bank network, and launching the SNAP Emergency Relief Fund, which has raised more than $2 million in private donations.

• Joined 24 other states and Washington, D.C. in successfully suing the Trump Administration for suspending SNAP payments and failing to use contingency funds approved by Congress.

• Continued the Fresh Food Financing Initiative to improve access to local food and support small businesses.

Read more about Governor Shapiro's 2026-27 Budget Proposal.