Kent State Interns

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 ...

Estruch, R., Ros, E., Salas-Salvadó, J., Covas, M. I., Corella, D., Arós, F., ... & Lamuela-             Raventos, R. M. (2013). Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with a             Mediterranean diet. New England Journal of Medicine , 368 (14), 1279-1290 Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with a Mediterranean diet Traditionally, the Mediterranean diet is known to be high in olive oil, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and cereals with a moderate intake of low fat meats like fish and poultry and a low intake of dairy products, processed meats, and sweets. In past research studies, adherence to a Mediterranean diet has been seen as beneficial with respect to cardiovascular disease. Oftentimes, the Mediterranean diet is seen as a dietary model to provide protection against coronary heart disease. This particular study was based on a ran...

Estruch, R., Ros, E., Salas-Salvadó, J., Covas, M. I., Corella, D., Arós, F., ... & Lamuela-             Raventos, R. M. (2013). Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with a             Mediterranean diet. New England Journal of Medicine , 368 (14), 1279-1290 Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with a Mediterranean diet Traditionally, the Mediterranean diet is known to be high in olive oil, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and cereals with a moderate intake of low fat meats like fish and poultry and a low intake of dairy products, processed meats, and sweets. In past research studies, adherance to a Mediterranean diet has been seen as beneficial with respect to cardiovascular disease. Oftentimes, the Mediterranean diet is seen as a dietary model to provide protection against coronary heart disease. This particular study was based on a randomized trial...

Casaer, M. P., & Van den Berghe, G. (2014). Nutrition in the acute phase of critical     illness.  New England Journal of Medicine ,  370 (13), 1227-1236. Nutrition in the acute phase of critical illness Food consumption and adequate nutritional intake are critical topics when considering patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Critically ill patients that require vital organ support commonly have a loss of appetite and may be unable to eat by mouth for an extended period of time. Providing nutrition via enteral or parenteral nutrition can aid in reducing the incidence of patients experiencing energy deficits, which are closely associated with adverse outcomes. The degree of energy deficit that accumulated in a critically ill patient is strongly correlated with their duration of stay in the ICU. This can in turn increase the risk of infectious complications and ultimately death. Often times, patients who are fed ear...