We are thrilled to share some exciting news, HBOM has officially launched the Nutrition Value Pathways (NVP) initiative, a bold step forward in building connections between “food as medicine” (FAM) programs and healthcare.
By building scalable infrastructure, shared referral pathways, and practical implementation tools, NVP is working to connect patients, clinicians, food providers, and payers to ensure that already funded, underused benefits deliver their full health and financial impact.
This work builds on the success of our portfolio of FAM ventures: Low Carb Jumpstart Grocery Delivery Program, a partnership with MCT2D and Shipt. And Comfort Cuisine (https://comfortcuisine.moqc.org/), a partnership with MOQC and Mom’s Meals to deliver health, prepared meals to patients undergoing cancer treatment and experiencing food insecurity.
What We’ve Accomplished So Far in 2026
Since the start of the year, the NVP team has been moving fast. Here’s a quick overview of what we’ve accomplish to date:
Systems & Journey Mapping: We developed a systems map alongside patient and provider journey maps for reimbursable FAM benefits.
Growing Partnerships: We’ve been solidifying relationships with food providers and clinicians across the state, building the trust and collaboration that makes this work possible.
Platform Launch: The Nutrition Value Pathways platform is live! This website connects stakeholders, hosts tools and resources, and serves as the operational backbone of our initiative. Stay tuned for many more updates to come!
Michigan’s First In Lieu of Services (ILOS) Coverage Checker: We’re proud to have developed and launched the first-ever Michigan ILOS Coverage Checker, a tool that lets collaborators quickly check medicaid coverage for FAM benefits by zip code and Medicaid plan.
ILOS Decision Tree for Clinicians: We created a clinical decision tree to help dig deep into the complexities of whether a FAM benefit and what type is covered by Medicaid.
Sharing the Impact: The NVP team has been actively supporting ways to share the benefits of FAM programs with decision makers, helping shape the environment for food-as-medicine programs to thrive long-term.
ILOS Referral Form & Smart Phrase: We developed a standardized ILOS referral form and smart phrase to support clinical teams involved in this work.
Pilot Onboarding Underway: We’ve kicked off the development of training materials that will help onboarding practices for ILOS referral pilots.
What All This Means
Each of these milestones represents a step toward a healthcare system where food is recognized as integral to health, where underused benefits actually reach the people they’re meant for, and where Michigan leads the way nationally. We’re just getting started, and we can’t wait to share what comes next.
NVP is funded by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s Strategic Initiative Fund.