Bill > S584

This bill, the Nutrition CARE Act of 2021, aims to amend the Social Security Act to provide coverage of medical nutrition therapy services for individuals with eating disorders under the Medicare program. The key provisions include: 1. Expanding Medicare coverage to include medical nutrition therapy services for beneficiaries with eating disorders, as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, starting January 1, 2022. 2. Specifying that these services must be provided by a registered dietitian or nutrition professional, either upon referral by a physician or psychologist (or other authorized mental health professional). 3. Establishing minimum coverage requirements, including at least 13 hours of services (initial assessment and reassessment/intervention) in the first year, and 4 hours per year in subsequent years, with the Secretary able to apply reasonable limitations. The bill is intended to address the significant impact of eating disorders, which affect millions of Americans, have high mortality rates, and can be effectively treated with a comprehensive approach including medical nutrition therapy, but are not fully covered by Medicare currently.