covers medical nutrition therapy services if you have diabetes or kidney disease, or you’ve had a kidney transplant in the last 36 months, and your doctor refers you for services.
Your costs in Original Medicare
You pay nothing for these preventive services if you qualify to get them.
What it is
Services 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 in managing your diet
Things to know
Only a Registered Dietitian (or nutrition professional who meets certain requirements) can provide medical nutrition therapy services.
If you get dialysis in a dialysis facility, Medicare covers medical nutrition therapy as part of your overall dialysis care.
If you’re in a rural area, you may be able to get medical nutrition therapy via telehealth from a Registered Dietitian or other nutritional professional in a different location.
If you have diabetes, you may also be eligible for diabetes self-management training.