Medicare MNT
Medical Nutrition Therapy improves patient outcomes, quality of life and lowers health-care costs. Medicare covers outpatient MNT provided by registered dietitians for beneficiaries with diabetes, chronic renal insufficiency/end-stage renal disease (non-dialysis renal disease) or post kidney transplant. Many other private insurance companies also cover MNT services for a variety of conditions and diseases (see below).
MNT includes nutritional diagnostic, therapeutic and counseling services for the purpose of disease management. Qualifying patients generally receive three hours of MNT in the first year and two hours of MNT in subsequent years. For changes in medical diagnosis, condition or treatment, Medicare covers additional hours of MNT.
The following are a few easy steps to ensure patients are eligible to receive MNT:
1. Medicare requires a physician order for patients to see an RD for MNT. When making a referral the physician should be sure to:
- Include the diagnosis and diagnosis code(s) for diabetes or non-dialysis kidney disease.
- Send recent lab data and medications with the referral form.
- Document the medical necessity for MNT in the patient’s medical chart.
2. The nurse should make an appointment with an RD at a local hospital out-patient clinic, physician clinic or the registered dietitian’s private practice office.
3. When additional hours of MNT are needed for your patient, another referral and medical record documentation are needed.