1 in 3 Californians would qualify for program

WEEKEND. BACK TO YOU. MIKE: PROVIDING MEDICALLY SUPPORTIVE FOOD AND NUTRITION TO LOW INCOME FAMILIES. THAT’S THE GOAL OF A NEW BILL MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE STATE CAPITOL. HERE TO TALK TO US ABOUT THE BILL AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT IS SPUR DIRECTOR, KATIE ETTMAN. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. HAPPY TO BE HERE. >> MEDICINE COMES A LOT OF FORMS, BUT WHO’D MEDICINE. WHAT IS THAT? >> WE KNOW BASED ON RESEARCH THAT FOOD CAN HELP REVERSE CHRONIC DISEASES. WE NEED TO GET IT TO PEOPLE IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. LOTS OF LOW INCOME CALIFORNIANS DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO IT. THEY DON’T HAVE THE ECONOMIC MEANS TO GET IT. >> HOW DOES THIS BILL TAKE EFFECT? >> IT IS AUTHORED BY ASSEMBLYMAN — AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER. THEY WILL CREATE FOOD NUTRITION WHICH IS A SPECTRUM OF INTERVENTIONS FOR ALL CALIFORNIANS. THEY ARE ELBOW — ELIGIBLE BASED ON THEIR CONDITIONS. >> WERE TALKING — WHEN YOU SAY LOW INCOME, THAT IS OUR NEIGHBORS. THAT IS A BIG NUMBER ACROSS THE STATE. >> IT IS TRUE THAT ONE IN THREE CALIFORNIANS IS ON MEDI-CAL. THIS IS SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN A CITY OR APRIL PART OF CALIFORNIA. IT DOESN’T AFFECT A SMALL PORTION OF THE POPULATION. IT IS A REALLY FAST SWATH OF INDIVIDUALS. >> WHAT IS THE COST? WHAT WILL THIS COST CALIFORNIANS? I HAVE TO SAY, THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT WORKING THROUGH THE SAFETY NET. MEDI-CAL IS PAID FOR BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. SOMEWHERE AROUND 60{d2b09b03d44633acb673e8080360919f91e60962656af8ade0305d5d8b7e4889}. AND ONLY ABOUT 40{d2b09b03d44633acb673e8080360919f91e60962656af8ade0305d5d8b7e4889} FALLS TO THE STATE TO COVER. WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT PROVIDING FOR VEGETABLES AND HEALTHY FOODS CAN ACTUALLY SAVE US COST AND LONG-TERM. THERE WERE SOME STUDIES THAT TALK ABOUT OVER $100 BILLION IN SAVINGS NATIONALLY IF WE SUBSIDIZE OR VEGETABLES FOR LOW-INCOME FOLK RED IN THE SHORT-TERM, YOU MIGHT NEED TO PAY FOR FRUIT AND VEGETABLE, BUT LONG-TERM, YOU CAN SAVE MONEY. >> THAT’S TRUE. WHAT ARE THE CONCERNS OUT THERE. I’M SURE THERE ARE SOME. WHAT ABOUT STOCKPILES WITH THE ABILITY TO SUPPORT THIS TYPE OF LEGISLATION. ARE YOU HEARING ANY CONCERNS IN THAT REGARD? >> THAT IS THE OTHER THING THAT REALLY CHANGES THE GAME FOR THESE ORGANIZATIONS. RIGHT NOW, FOOD PANTRIES AND BANKS ARE DOING PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THAT WITH PHILANTHROPIC FUNDING. IF THAT RUNS OUT, IT’S NOT HIGH ENOUGH WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH FOOD, THE IDEA OF BRINGING THIS TO MEDI-CAL IS THAT THESE ARE NOT INTERVENTIONS. WE WILL PAY FOR THE PROVIDERS OF THE FOOD FOR THE FOOD. THEY WILL HAVE MORE ECONOMIC NEEDS IS AN ORGANIZATION TO ACTUALLY GET IT TO THE PEOPLE. IT WILL MAKE THINGS MUCH EASIR TO PROVIDE IT TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT. >> THE PEOPLE WHO NEEDED ARE FOLKS WHO BITE ALSO HAVE SPECIFIC DIETARY NEEDS. >> WE OFTEN THINK ABOUT A PATIENT WITH GESTATIONAL DIABETES. YOU GO TO A DOCTOR AND SAY YOU HAVE THIS. WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE IF INSTEAD OF YOUR DOCTOR SAYING EAT HEALTHIER, IS SUPER EASY. WHAT IF I AM GOING TO GET YOU A PRODUCE PRESCRIPTION? YOU CAN GO OUT TO THE LOCAL GROCERY STORE OR FARMERS MARKET AND PROVIDE FREE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. YOU CAN TREAT THAT DIABETES, AND THERE IS A STUDY THAT SHOWS ABOUT 37{d2b09b03d44633acb673e8080360919f91e60962656af8ade0305d5d8b7e4889} OF THE REDUCTION IN CHANCES OF PRETERM BIRTH WHEN YOU PROVIDE A PRODUCE PRESCRIPTION TO A PATIENT WITH DIABETES. >> PRODUCE PRESCRIPTION. THAT SOUNDS FASCINATING. WE’LL GET YOU OUT ON THIS? IF THIS PASSES, WHEN WILL THIS LAUNCH. >> WE HAVE A LONG RUNWAY. A PASSAGE THIS YEAR, AND A YEAR OF GUIDANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE GROUND, AND THEN WE WILL BE LAUNCHING ABOUT SIX MONTHS BEFORE CURRENT PILOT ENDS IN 2020 SIX. >> WORKING FOLKS GO FOR MORE INFORMATION. >> CODA SPUR.ORG LEAR

New bill aims to prescribe healthy food for low-income Californians

Updated: 12:13 PM PDT Apr 12, 2023

A new bill is making its way through the State Capitol aimed at providing medically supportive food and nutrition to low-income families. The Director of SPUR, Katie Ettman, told KCRA 3 that research has shown that the proper diet can help treat and prevent certain diseases.Health care advocates have long preached the benefits of preventative health care, including exercise and a healthy diet, and SPUR believes providing a prescription for healthy foods can benefit low-income Californians in the long run.”It continues to blow my mind that one in three Californians are on MediCal,” Ettman said. “So this is your neighbor, this is someone that lives in a rural part of California. This is not just a problem that affects a small percentage of the population.”For more information, watch the video above or visit spur.org.

A new bill is making its way through the State Capitol aimed at providing medically supportive food and nutrition to low-income families.

The Director of SPUR, Katie Ettman, told KCRA 3 that research has shown that the proper diet can help treat and prevent certain diseases.

Health care advocates have long preached the benefits of preventative health care, including exercise and a healthy diet, and SPUR believes providing a prescription for healthy foods can benefit low-income Californians in the long run.

“It continues to blow my mind that one in three Californians are on MediCal,” Ettman said. “So this is your neighbor, this is someone that lives in a rural part of California. This is not just a problem that affects a small percentage of the population.”

For more information, watch the video above or visit spur.org.