Eligible Medicaid recipients in Brunswick, Columbus and other participating counties who struggle with food insecurity could qualify for weekly deliveries of healthy food boxes under a scaled-down state initiative.
By Coastal Carolina News Staff Writer
RALEIGH, NC — North Carolina plans to relaunch a reduced version of its Healthy Opportunities Pilot program in early 2027, focusing exclusively on food assistance for certain Medicaid recipients experiencing food insecurity.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced the restart after the General Assembly approved $9 million in state funding. Combined with federal matching funds, the program is expected to operate with approximately $25 million and serve Medicaid recipients with the greatest needs.
Under the revised program, eligible Medicaid members who live within one of the state’s three Healthy Opportunities Pilot regions, experience food insecurity, and are pregnant or have diabetes or cardiovascular disease may receive healthy food boxes delivered to their homes each week.
The pilot regions will continue to serve 33 counties through regional networks that include Community Care of the Lower Cape Fear, Access East and Impact Health.
For residents in Brunswick and Columbus counties, the program would function as a health-related Medicaid benefit rather than a traditional food assistance program. State officials said the initiative is intended to address food insecurity as a factor that can contribute to poor health outcomes and increased medical costs.
Unlike programs such as SNAP, eligible participants generally are expected to be identified through the Medicaid system. According to NC Medicaid, care managers will connect qualifying recipients to available services, while community-based organizations will deliver food boxes to approved participants.
State officials have not yet announced a specific launch date. The department said the program is expected to begin in early 2027, and formal notification will be provided before services start.
The Healthy Opportunities Pilot originally launched in 2022 and included a broader range of services addressing housing, transportation and other non-medical needs. The relaunched version will focus solely on food assistance because of funding limitations.
According to the department, data collected during the program’s earlier years suggested participants experienced fewer emergency room visits and hospital stays while making greater use of primary care services. Officials said those findings helped support the decision to restore the program in a more limited form.
Medicaid recipients who believe they may qualify are encouraged to watch for future information from their Medicaid health plan, health care provider or assigned care manager as the 2027 rollout approaches.
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