Medical nutrition therapy services
Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers medical nutrition therapy services, if you’re eligible
Description
The services you get may include:
- An initial nutrition and lifestyle assessment
- Individual and/or group nutritional therapy services
- Help managing the lifestyle factors that affect your diabetes
- Follow-up visits to check on your progress
Coverage details
If you get dialysis in a dialysis facility, Medicare covers medical nutrition therapy services as part of your overall dialysis care.
If you have diabetes, you may also qualify for diabetes self-management training.
Who's eligible
You must have diabetes or kidney disease, or you’ve had a kidney transplant in the last 36 months. A doctor must refer you for the services.
Provider requirements
Only a registered dietitian (or nutrition professional who meets certain requirements) can provide medical nutrition therapy services.
Costs
You pay nothing for these services if you qualify for them.
How often
- Initial coverage includes 3 hours of medical nutrition therapy services in the first calendar year. These hours can’t be carried over to the next calendar year.
- If your doctor decides a change in your medical condition requires a change in your diet, they can give you a referral for more hours beyond the initial coverage. You may get up to 2 hours of follow-up services each calendar year, after the year you got your initial coverage.
Facility
Through January 30, 2026, you can get medical nutrition therapy services at any location in the U.S. through telehealth. Starting January 31, 2026, you must live in a rural area and go to an office or medical facility that’s also in a rural area (in the U.S.) to get these services from a registered dietitian or other nutrition professional through telehealth.