Reimbursement for MNT

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As dietetic interns, our goal is to go out into the world and to get paid for our services. But, is medical nutrition therapy (MNT) covered by insurance companies? Is it considered preventative care, or is it only reimbursable when the patient already has a condition? Thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), MNT has become to most private insurers and some Medicaid programs, a service that is reimbursable for prevention. Patients using Medicare have always been able to seek MNT as means of prevention, but the ACA got rid of the co-pay for these patients at their visits. Of course, the number of visits that are covered is determined by the individual insurance company, but the trend seems to be headed in the right direction with covering preventative MNT. We can only hope that this trend will continue with the possible repeal of the ACA.
-SB

Kohn, J.B., Schofield, M. (2015). Is medical nutrition therapy considered a form of preventative care and is it reimbursable?  Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 115(11) 1904.


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