Medically Tailored Meals Reduced Hospitalizations 31% Among Medicaid Beneficiaries

Medically tailored meals (MTMs) were associated with lower hospitalization rates, fewer emergency department (ED) visits, and reduced health care costs among Massachusetts Medicaid beneficiaries, according to a recent study. Among Medicaid members who received MTMs, hospitalizations fell by 31% and ED visits declined by 20% compared with eligible members who did not receive meals. Total health care costs among MTM recipients were $3,433 lower per person during the enrollment period, which averaged approximately 6.7 months. The mean per-person cost of the MTM program was $3,512, meaning health care cost reductions offset approximately 98% of program costs . . .