Medicare Wellness / Nutritional Counseling

Medicare’s coverage of Medical Nutrition Therapy is not limited to a particular number of visits. There are some time limitations, though.

In general, your nutrition services covered by Medicare may include things like:

• An initial nutrition and lifestyle assessment
• Individual or group nutrition therapy
• Help with lifestyle modifications to support health for diabetics
• Follow-up assessments to see how well therapies and education are working

While these services aren’t limited to a particular number, they are limited to a total amount of time. Medicare Part B will cover three hours of Medical Nutrition Therapy in the first calendar year it is prescribed and two hours of therapy in the following years. How many appointments this covers depends a lot on the length of your counseling or therapy session.

Typically, there are two types of Medical Nutrition Therapy: standard Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) and Diabetic Self-Management Training (DSMT). These two types of therapies can be offered alone or together but are usually more effective when used together. Each type of therapy would require a referral.

MNT is offered in four phases, depending on where you are in the process. These phases include:

• Nutrition assessment
• Nutrition diagnosis
• Intervention
• Nutrition monitoring and evaluation

Medicare will pay for a nutritionist, but you and the provider must meet specific criteria to qualify for covered services. Medical Nutrition Therapy is a preventive health service, and therefore Medicare covers 100% of the costs. You won’t be responsible for any copay or deductible as long as you use a doctor that accepts Medicare assignment.

However, Medicare will only cover medical nutrition services for the following conditions:

• Diabetes
• Kidney disease
• Kidney transplant in the last 36 months

To ensure Medicare coverage, the provider of these nutrition services must be a registered dietician or nutrition provider that has met specific accreditations and is enrolled as a Medicare provider. The therapy services must help you manage your condition more effectively by choosing the right foods. If you’re on dialysis, coverage includes medical nutrition therapy services.