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March is National Nutrition Month
03/12/08
March is National Nutrition Month - Please join with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in promoting increased awareness of nutrition, healthful eating and the medical nutrition therapy (MNT) benefit covered by Medicare.
Approximately 8.6 million Americans1 at least 60 years or older are diagnosed with diabetes or acute renal failure. MNT provided by a registered dietitian or nutrition professional may result in improved diabetes and renal disease management and other health outcomes and may help delay disease progression.
Medicare Coverage
Medicare provides coverage of medical nutrition therapy (MNT) for beneficiaries diagnosed with diabetes and/or renal disease (except for those receiving dialysis) when provided by a registered dietitian or nutrition professional who meets the provider qualification requirements. The beneficiary's treating physician must provide a referral and indicate a diagnosis of diabetes or renal disease. Medicare provides coverage for 3 hours of MNT in the first year and 2 hours in subsequent years. Additional hours may be covered in certain situations.
1NOTE: For the purpose of this benefit, renal disease means chronic renal insufficiency or the medical condition of a beneficiary who has been discharged from the hospital after a successful renal transplant for up to 36 months post transplant. Chronic renal insufficiency means a reduction in renal function not severe enough to require dialysis or transplantation Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) 13-50 ml/min/1.73m2.Help Us Spread the Word
As a trusted source of health care information, your patients rely on their physician's or other health care professional's recommendations. CMS needs your help to ensure that all eligible people with Medicare are aware of the medical nutrition therapy benefit. Talk with your eligible Medicare patients about the benefits of managing diabetes and renal disease through MNT and encourage them to make an appointment with a registered dietitian or nutrition professional qualified to provide MNT services covered by Medicare.
For More Information
CMS has developed a variety of educational products and resources to help health care professionals and their staff become familiar with coverage, coding, billing, and reimbursement for all preventive services covered by Medicare.
- The MLN Preventive Services Educational Products Web Page provides descriptions and ordering information for Medicare Learning Network (MLN) preventive services educational products and resources for health care professionals and their staff.
- Diabetes-Related Services Brochure - This tri-fold brochure provides health care professionals with an overview of Medicare's coverage of diabetes screening tests, diabetes self-management training, medical nutrition therapy, and supplies and other services for Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes. To order copies of the brochure, go to the MLN Product Ordering System located at: http://cms.meridianksi.com/kc/main/kc_frame.asp?kc _ident=kc0001&loc=5
- The CMS website provides additional information about the MNT benefit at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicalNutritionTherapy/
- For information to share with your Medicare patients, visit http://www.medicare.gov
- For more information about National Nutrition Month, please visit http://www.eatright.org.
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