Proposed Medicaid Pilot Program for Behavioral Health and Nutrition

The Frame

What this does

If funded, this program would change how Medicaid managed care providers in Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie counties deliver care by allowing them to offer specific nutrition and counseling services in place of standard plan benefits for up to 1,000 participants.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Medicaid recipients in Region G

Eligible recipients may receive specialized behavioral health and nutrition services in lieu of standard plan benefits.

Medicaid managed assistance providers

Providers are authorized to offer these specific intervention services and must consider participant outcomes when setting capitation rates.

What changed

Last recorded activity March 13, 2026.

What's next

Introduced.

Summary

This bill proposes a pilot program in five Florida counties to provide integrated behavioral health counseling and medical nutrition support to Medicaid recipients diagnosed with both depression or anxiety and chronic conditions like diabetes. The program would be contingent on future state funding and is designed to test whether these combined services improve health outcomes.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible for this pilot program?

Medicaid recipients in Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, or St. Lucie counties who have been diagnosed with depression or anxiety, as well as diabetes, obesity, or coronary heart disease.

What services are included in the program?

The program covers behavioral health counseling, medical nutrition therapy, health tracking, nutrition education, and medical nutrition supports like home-delivered meals or produce prescriptions.

Is this program currently active?

No, the bill died in the Health Policy committee on March 13, 2026.

Why It Matters

If funded, this program would change how Medicaid managed care providers in Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie counties deliver care by allowing them to offer specific nutrition and counseling services in place of standard plan benefits for up to 1,000 participants.

News Coverage

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Integration of Nutrition and Mental Health

The bill represents a shift toward treating chronic disease by explicitly linking behavioral health counseling with medical nutrition therapy and food-based interventions.

Agency for Health Care Administration