Nutrition CARE Act of 2025
The Nutrition CARE Act of 2025 would expand Medicare Part B coverage to include medical nutrition therapy (MNT) for individuals with eating disorders. Starting January 1, 2026, beneficiaries with eating disorders would be eligible to receive MNT services furnished by a registered dietitian or other qualified nutrition professional, with referrals from a physician or mental health professional (as allowed by state law). The bill specifies a minimum amount of covered MNT time: 13 hours in the first year (including a 1-hour initial assessment and 12 hours of follow-up) and 4 hours in each subsequent year, though the Secretary could impose additional reasonable limits. The definition of “eating disorder” would align with the most recent DSM edition used by the American Psychiatric Association. The proposal builds on the concept that treating eating disorders requires a comprehensive approach—medical, psychiatric, therapeutic, and nutrition therapy—and aims to improve outpatient access to MNT by Medicare beneficiaries. The bill frames this coverage as addressing a substantial public health issue, citing high prevalence, mortality risk, and the substantial costs associated with eating disorders. By adding MNT to outpatient benefits, it seeks to reduce barriers to care and better integrate nutrition therapy into the standard treatment four-p pillar model for eating disorders.
Key Points
- 1Adds Medicare Part B coverage for medical nutrition therapy (MNT) specifically for managing eating disorders, beginning January 1, 2026.
- 2Coverage requires services to be furnished by a registered dietitian or nutrition professional and to be provided upon referral from a physician or a psychologist/mental health professional as allowed by state law.
- 3Defines an eating disorder for this purpose using the DSM (current edition published by the American Psychiatric Association) as the standard.
- 4Establishes minimum covered MNT hours for eating disorders: 13 hours in the first year (including a 1-hour initial assessment) and 4 hours in each subsequent year, with the Secretary allowed to set other reasonable limits.
- 5Mirrors existing treatment logic that emphasizes medical nutrition therapy as part of a comprehensive, four-p pillar approach (medical, psychiatric, therapy, and nutrition therapy).