WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) joined Senators Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) in reintroducing the bipartisan Nutrition CARE Act. The legislation aims to improve access to care for seniors and people with disabilities who are living with eating disorders.
Specifically, the Nutrition CARE Act would expand access to medical care for Medicare beneficiaries with eating disorders by including coverage of outpatient medical nutrition therapy through Medicare Part B, which will provide patients with a more comprehensive, specialized approach to combating eating disorders than what is currently offered under Medicare.
“Eating disorders can affect anyone. They can also be particularly life-threatening for elderly Americans and those living with disabilities. The Nutrition CARE Act will expand access to medical nutrition therapy services for Medicare beneficiaries with eating disorders, helping them get the care they need to begin the path to recovery and live healthy lives,” Senator Capito said.
The bipartisan Nutrition CARE Act would allow physicians, registered dieticians, nutrition specialists, and mental health professionals to provide medical nutrition therapy services to Medicare beneficiaries. Currently, Medicare beneficiaries who have an eating disorder can access psychiatric, therapy, and medical services. The expanded services would include 13 hours of medical nutrition therapy – including a one-hour initial assessment and 12 hours of reassessment and intervention – during the first year that the beneficiary begins receiving services. The beneficiary would then be able to access four hours of medical nutrition therapy services during each subsequent year.
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