TennCare is delivered through managed-care organizations, and long-term services and supports for eligible members run through the CHOICES program. Home-delivered meals can appear as a service within those long-term care programs for members who qualify after an assessment — a care coordinator applying program rules decides, not the member and not a meal company. SmashMeals is a Kingsport, Tennessee kitchen that is direct-pay and not a contracted TennCare provider.
TennCare is Tennessee's Medicaid program, administered through managed-care organizations that members are enrolled with.
CHOICES is the long-term services and supports program for eligible adults who need nursing-facility-level care or are at risk of it. Home-delivered meals are among the home and community based services that can be part of a plan of care.
Your MCO care coordinator performs the assessment, builds the plan of care, and determines what is authorized under program rules and available vendors.
What to ask your care coordinator
Am I enrolled in CHOICES or another long-term services program, and if not, how would I be assessed?
Are home-delivered meals part of my plan of care, and how many per week?
Which vendors does the program use in Northeast Tennessee?
If I need strictly gluten-free meals for medical reasons, does that change which vendor can serve me?
Last reviewed August 27, 2026. Benefit rules change every plan year — re-check anything here against current plan or program documents before relying on it.
Choose your next step
View This Week's Menu — You just want meals this week. Direct-pay, no subscription required.
Please note: Smash Meals is not in-network with, contracted by, or endorsed by any health plan, Medicare Advantage plan, Medicaid program, or managed-care organization. We do not bill insurance. This page is general educational information — not insurance, medical, or legal advice. Benefits differ by plan, county, and plan year. Confirm any benefit directly with the member services number on your insurance card.
Sources — verify with primary documents
Benefit and program rules change. Confirm anything on this page against the plan or program documents themselves.
No. We are not contracted or credentialed with TennCare, CHOICES, or any TennCare MCO. We are open to contracting conversations with plans and program administrators.
Who decides if I get home-delivered meals under TennCare?
Your MCO care coordinator, based on an assessment and the program's rules. Meals are authorized as part of a plan of care, not requested from a vendor.
Can I still order SmashMeals while on TennCare?
Yes — as a direct-pay customer, the same as anyone else. That is a personal purchase and unrelated to any TennCare benefit.