Does Medicare Cover Nutritionist Services?

• by Christian Worstell
• November 10, 2023
• Reviewed by John Krahnert

Medicare Part B and Medicare Advantage covers medical nutrition therapy and some related services for certain people.

Your doctor must refer you for these services as medically necessary in order for them to be covered by Medicare.

Who is eligible for Medicare nutrition therapy coverage?

People who have enrolled in Medicare and who meet at least one of the following conditions are likely eligible for medical nutrition therapy coverage:

• People who have diabetes
• People who have kidney disease
• People how have had a kidney transplant in the past 36 months

What types of medical nutrition therapy are covered by Medicare?

Examples of medical nutrition therapy services include:

• A nutrition and lifestyle assessment
• Individual and/or group nutrition therapy services
• Follow-up visits to check on your progress and manage your diet

What if I only have Medicare Part A and don’t have Medicare Part B?

Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) does not cover medical nutrition therapy services. If you have Part A only, you will likely be responsible for all costs if you see a nutritionist.

Medicare Advantage plans cover nutrition therapy services

Medicare Advantage plans provide the same Part A and Part B benefits as Original Medicare, so your Medicare Advantage plan will cover medical nutrition therapy if it meets the qualifications detailed above and if you are referred by your doctor.

Find a Medicare Advantage plan that can help cover your nutrition needs

In addition to the hospital and medical benefits provided by Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans may cover some benefits not found in Original Medicare. 

If you think a Medicare Advantage plan may be a good fit for you, speak with a licensed insurance agent to compare plans that may be available in your area. A licensed insurance agent can help you find out if you are eligible and enroll in a plan right over the phone.

About the author

Christian Worstell is a senior Medicare and health insurance writer with MedicareAdvantage.com. He is also a licensed health insurance agent. Christian is well-known in the insurance industry for the thousands of educational articles he’s written, helping Americans better understand their health insurance and Medicare coverage.

Christian’s work as a Medicare expert has appeared in several top-tier and trade news outlets including Forbes, MarketWatch, WebMD and Yahoo! Finance.

Christian has written hundreds of articles for MedicareAvantage.com that teach Medicare beneficiaries the best practices for navigating Medicare. His articles are read by thousands of older Americans each month. By better understanding their health care coverage, readers may hopefully learn how to limit their out-of-pocket Medicare spending and access quality medical care.

Christian’s passion for his role stems from his desire to make a difference in the senior community. He strongly believes that the more beneficiaries know about their Medicare coverage, the better their overall health and wellness is as a result.

A current resident of Raleigh, Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

If you’re a member of the media looking to connect with Christian, please don’t hesitate to email our public relations team at Mike@tzhealthmedia.com.

 

 

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