Murphy Urges CMS to Expand Access to Healthy Food for MA Beneficiaries

September 11, 2026 Press Release Washington, D.C. — Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D., led seven of his colleagues in urging Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mehmet Oz to issue guidance allowing Medicare Advantage plans to provide healthy food as a supplemental benefit for seniors managing chronic conditions. "It has become increasingly apparent that healthy food should be part of the solution when we are treating chronic disease," said Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D. "As a physician, I know that nutrition plays an important role in preventing and managing both acute and chronic illness. Food is medicine. We should be giving seniors the tools they need to stay healthy and out of the hospital, rather than waiting until their conditions become more severe and expensive to treat. CMS can take action within existing authority to make nutritious food more accessible to seniors who need it most." Background Medicare Advantage plans currently have authority to offer certain supplemental benefits to beneficiaries. However, access to healthy food benefits is generally limited to enrollees who meet specific eligibility requirements related to their health and risk of hospitalization. Congressman Murphy and his colleagues are asking CMS to update these rules so more seniors can use nutritious food to help prevent and manage chronic disease, reduce health care costs, and improve quality of life. Read the letter here .