06 Dec 2021 BPC Action Supports Medical Nutrition Therapy Legislation in Health

BPC Action applauds Sens. Susan Collins and Gary Peters and Reps. Robin Kelly and Fred Upton for their bicameral introduction of the Medical Nutrition Therapy Act of 2021. This bipartisan legislation would allow beneficiaries much-needed access to medical nutrition therapy (MNT) through Medicare Part B to treat a wide array of medical conditions including hypertension, obesity, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

MNT is also a cost-effective treatment for chronic and mental health conditions that comprise 90% of the nation’s annual health care expenditures. Expanding access to MNT through Medicare Part B coverage for a broader range of health conditions will increase equity in health care access among disproportionately affected communities. This bipartisan bill would significantly expand the number of conditions covered by MNT beyond renal disease and type 2 diabetes and would allow the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to further expand coverage for MNT as determined medically necessary.

BPC’s Food and Nutrition Security Task Force recommended expanding Medicare coverage for MNT in its recent report Improving Food and Nutrition Security During COVID-19, the Economic Recovery, and Beyond. BPC Action is happy to see bipartisan, bicameral support for this critical legislation and urges its passage into law.