Pass the Nutrition CARE Act
Recommendation
Congress should pass the Nutrition CARE Act, which would add coverage of medical nutrition therapy services for individuals with eating disorders to Medicare.[1][2]
Background/summary
Eating disorders affect an estimated 9 percent of the population and often co-occur with other mental health conditions [3] and have among the highest mortality rates of all mental health and substance use disorders.[4] Eating disorders affect all age groups, including older adults enrolled in Medicare. Medical nutrition therapy is a nutrition-based treatment that also includes counseling services, and has been shown to have positive outcomes for individuals with an eating disorder.[5][6] Unfortunately, about 70 percent of individuals with an eating disorder are unable to receive treatment due to limited insurance coverage.[7] Currently, Medicare Part B only covers medical nutrition therapy for individuals who have been diagnosed with diabetes or kidney disease.[8] The passage of the Nutrition CARE Act would increase access to medical nutrition therapy for Medicare beneficiaries with an eating disorder. [1][2]
citations
1. Nutrition CARE Act of 2021. H.R. 1551 (Chu-Walorski) and S. 584 (Hassan-Murkowski-Capito), 117th Congress (2021-2022). Last Accessed July 21, 2023.
2. “Sen. Hassan, Sen. Murkowski, and Sen. Capito Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Seniors and People with Disabilities Struggling with Eating Disorders.” 2021. Senator Maggie Hassan. Last Accessed July 21, 2023.
3. National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. “General Eating Disorders Statistics.” Last Accessed: July 30, 2023.
4. American Psychiatric Association. “What Are Eating Disorders?” Last Accessed July 30, 2023.
5. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Medical Nutrition Therapy. Last Updated September 30, 2022.
6. Reiter, Christina S., and Leah Graves. 2010. “Nutrition therapy for eating disorders. Nutrition in clinical practice.” American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, 25(2), 122–136. Last Accessed July 21, 2023.
7. The Kennedy Forum. New Program Increases Access to Care for Those with Eating Disorders. Last Accessed July 21, 2022.
8. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Nutrition therapy services. Last Accessed July 21, 2023.