It’s Time to Rethink Health Care: Why Colorado Needs “Food is Medicine” Collaboration
Colorado is facing a defining moment. With a projected $1 billion state budget shortfall and chronic disease rates that continue to climb, our health and human services systems are being stretched beyond capacity. This challenge is far bigger than any one organization, sector or agency. If we want healthier communities — and a healthier economy — we must think differently about what drives health in the first place.
An estimated 129 million people in the U.S. currently live with at least one major chronic disease, which includes cancer, Alzheimer’s, kidney and heart disease, among many conditions, according to CDC research. Five of the ten leading causes of death are rooted in preventable or treatable chronic conditions. And the reality is getting more complex: 42% of Americans have two or more chronic conditions, and 12% are living with at least five.
Chronic disease isn’t just a personal burden; it’s an economic one. The CDC estimates about 90% of the nation’s $4.5 trillion in annual health care spending is tied to treating chronic and mental health conditions. For many of these conditions, diet is one of the most significant — and most overlooked — risk factors.
But we can’t move toward better health outcomes by doing more of the same. We need smarter, more cost-effective strategies. And this is where Food is Medicine comes in.
Food is Medicine (FIM), as defined by the national Food is Medicine Coalition, integrates nutritious food into health care to treat, manage or prevent diet-related disease. The most rigorously studied approach, medically tailored meals, provides home-delivered meals customized to a person’s medical conditions, allergies, cultural preferences, and nutritional needs. These meals are prescribed by health care providers just like medications or therapies.
And the results are remarkable.
According to a 2022 JAMA study, a national expansion of medically tailored meals could save $13.6 billion in health care spending every year and prevent 1.6 million hospitalizations. The American Hospital Association reports that a single inpatient day costs about $2,400, roughly the same cost that many Food is Medicine providers incur to feed someone medically tailored meals for six months.
A landmark study from MANNA, a Philadelphia-based medically tailored meal provider, found that participants receiving medically tailored meals experienced 50% fewer inpatient admissions and 70% fewer emergency room visits compared to a matched control group.
At Project Angel Heart, we see this impact every day. Take Stephanie, a 70-year-old client whose health story reflects what so many Coloradans face. After years of respiratory failure, heart issues, autoimmune disorders and a life-altering stroke, she found herself juggling 17 medications. Cooking became dangerous due to memory issues, and fast food became her default. Her health declined further.
That’s when her Kaiser Permanente care team referred her to Project Angel Heart. Kaiser Permanente has partnered with Project Angel Heart to make medically tailored meals available statewide and expand its nutrition education resources. With medically tailored meals and support from Project Angel Heart’s registered dietitians, Stephanie stabilized her diabetes and cholesterol and dramatically improved her lab results. She and her doctors were able to reduce her medications from 17 to seven.
“The meals from Project Angel Heart have been a lifesaver,” she told us. “I feel like I’ve gotten my life back. I’m happier and healthier now than I have been in the last 25 years.”
Stephanie’s experience mirrors what national public opinion shows. According to a 2025 Rockefeller Foundation survey, nearly 9 in 10 patients would prefer to rely more on healthy eating than on medications, and about 80% of Americans — across both political parties — believe Food is Medicine programs should be covered by insurance. Improving health through nutrition isn’t controversial. It’s common sense.
To make Food is Medicine a true pillar of Colorado’s health strategy, we need something bigger than good intentions. We need collaboration. For the past two years, the Colorado Food is Medicine Summit has brought together more than 250 participants from over 100 organizations including community nonprofits, clinicians, hospitals, insurers, policymakers, and government agencies.
Food is Medicine isn’t a quick fix. And it should be delivered alongside health care. But it is one of the most cost-effective, evidence-based tools we have to reduce chronic disease, lower health care costs, and improve quality of life. As Colorado faces tough fiscal decisions, investing in solutions that keep people healthy, rather than paying exponentially more once they get sick, is simply smart policy.
As the 2026 Colorado Food is Medicine Summit gets underway on January 15 with its largest attendance yet—300 participants—it is an opportunity to build the partnerships that will make this future possible. No single organization can solve the challenges ahead. But across sectors, industries and communities, we can create systems together that prioritize both health and economic sustainability.
Marti Macchi is the President & CEO of Project Angel Heart, a Colorado nonprofit that provides medically tailored meals to neighbors living with severe illnesses across Colorado.
Greg Berman, MD, is the interim president and executive medical director of Kaiser Permanente in Colorado. Kaiser Permanente serves nearly 12.6 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers.