Medical nutrition therapy (MNT) can help you better manage certain conditions through dietary counseling and changes to your eating habits.

Eligibility

Medicare Part B covers MNT services if you get a referral from your primary care provider (PCP), see a registered dietician or other qualified nutrition specialist, and have one of the following conditions:

• Diabetes
• Chronic renal disease
• Or, have had a kidney transplant in the past three years

Original Medicare generally covers three hours of MNT for the first year and two hours every subsequent year. You can receive more hours if your doctor says you need them. Talk to your doctor if you think you qualify for this service.

Costs

If you qualify, Original Medicare covers MNT at 100% of the Medicare-approved amount when you receive services from a participating provider. This means you pay nothing (no deductible or coinsurance). Medicare Advantage Plans are required to cover medical nutritional therapy without applying deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance when you see an in-network provider and meet Medicare’s eligibility requirements for the service.

During the course of your MNT, your provider may discover and need to investigate or treat a new or existing problem. This additional care is considered diagnostic, meaning your provider is treating you because of certain symptoms or risk factors. Medicare may bill you for any diagnostic care you receive during a preventive visit.