S 1829 New Jersey Senate · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Establishes the "Food is Medicine NJ Pilot Program" in DHS; appropriates $5,000,000.

S 1829 establishes a three-year "Food is Medicine NJ Pilot Program" within New Jersey's Department of Human Services, appropriating $5 million to provide nutrition services to Medicaid recipients. The program directly serves up to 3,000 high-risk Medicaid participants with complex chronic conditions (like diabetes, heart failure, or obesity) through medically tailored meals, and an additional 7,000 at-risk Medicaid recipients via produce prescriptions and nutrition education. It requires a third-party evaluator to measure impacts on emergency room visits, hospitalizations, medication adherence, and Medicaid cost savings, with reports to the Legislature due within 18 months and at the program's conclusion. The bill aims to address diet-related chronic diseases - identified as leading causes of death and healthcare spending in New Jersey - by integrating nutrition interventions into the healthcare system.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Last action Jan 13, 2026
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Jan 13, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee
upper
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor

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