Medical Nutrition Therapy Act of 2020
This bill expands Medicare coverage of medical nutrition therapy services.
Currently, Medicare covers such services for individuals with diabetes or kidney disease under certain circumstances; such services must also be provided by a registered dietitian or nutrition professional pursuant to a physician referral. The bill extends coverage to individuals with other diseases and conditions, including obesity, eating disorders, cancer, and HIV/AIDS; such services may also be referred by a physician assistant, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, or (for eating disorders) a clinical psychologist.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6971 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6971
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand the
availability of medical nutrition therapy services under the Medicare
program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 22, 2020
Mr. Engel (for himself and Mr. King of New York) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a
period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand the
availability of medical nutrition therapy services under the Medicare
program.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Medical Nutrition Therapy Act of
2020''.
SEC. 2. EXPANDING THE AVAILABILITY OF MEDICAL NUTRITION THERAPY
SERVICES UNDER THE MEDICARE PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Section 1861 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1395x) is amended--
(1) in subsection (s)(2)(V), by striking ``in the case of''
and all that follows through ``organizations''; and
(2) in subsection (vv)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``disease management'' and
inserting ``the prevention, management, or
treatment of a disease or condition specified
in paragraph (4)'';
(ii) by inserting ``or by a physician
assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical
nurse specialist (as such terms are defined in
subsection (aa)(5)), or, in the case of such
services furnished to manage such a disease or
condition that is an eating disorder, by a
clinical psychologist (as defined by the
Secretary)'' before the period at the end; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following
new sentence: ``Such term shall not include any
such services furnished to an individual for
the prevention, management, or treatment of a
renal disease if such individual is receiving
maintenance dialysis for which payment is made
under section 1881.''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
``(4) For purposes of paragraph (1), the diseases and conditions
specified in this paragraph are the following:
``(A) Diabetes and prediabetes.
``(B) A renal disease.
``(C) Obesity (as defined for purposes of subsection
(yy)(2)(C) or as otherwise defined by the Secretary).
``(D) Hypertension.
``(E) Dyslipidemia.
``(F) Malnutrition.
``(G) Eating disorders.
``(H) Cancer.
``(I) Celiac disease.
``(J) HIV.
``(K) AIDS.
``(L) Any other disease or condition--
``(i) specified by the Secretary relating to
unintentional weight loss;
``(ii) for which the Secretary determines the
services described in paragraph (1) to be medically
necessary and appropriate for the prevention,
management, or treatment of such disease or condition,
consistent with any applicable recommendations of the
United States Preventive Services Task Force; or
``(iii) for which the Secretary determines the
services described in paragraph (1) are medically
necessary, consistent with either protocols established
by registered dietitians or nutrition professional
organizations or with accepted clinical guidelines
identified by the Secretary.''.
(b) Exclusion Modification.--Section 1862(a)(1) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (O), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in subparagraph (P), by striking the semicolon at the
end and inserting ``, and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(Q) in the case of medical nutrition therapy services (as
defined in section 1861(vv)), which are not furnished for the
prevention, management, or treatment of a disease or condition
specified in paragraph (4) of such section;''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall
apply with respect to items and services furnished on or after January
1, 2021.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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