Prioritizing Nutrition in the 21st Century Cures Act: The Academy's Call for Expanded Access to Nutrition Care

The critical role of nutrition in enhancing health care outcomes was the focal point of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' recent letter to Congress, urging a stronger emphasis on nutrition care within the 21st Century Cures Act. While the act has advanced biomedical research, mental health services, and interoperability, the Academy highlighted the need for a greater focus on nutrition, especially in the prevention and management of chronic diseases.

The Academy’s recommendations emphasized the need to:

1. Expand access to medical nutrition therapy. Despite its effectiveness, MNT is underutilized due to restrictive Medicare coverage and limited access to registered dietitian nutritionists. The Academy urged Congress to broaden Medicare coverage to include MNT for conditions like prediabetes and obesity.
2. Strengthen integration of evidenced-based nutrition care into home infusion therapy and home-based care services, ensuring that RDNs are part of these essential offerings. This inclusion would provide comprehensive nutrition support, crucial for recovery and long-term health.
3. Direct the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to include language that supports evidenced-based nutrition care in interoperability and value-based care models. Addressing barriers that prevent non-physician providers like RDNs from participating in quality reporting and health care technology programs will enable better integration of nutrition care into patient-centered care.

The Academy encouraged Congress to take these recommendations into consideration when drafting future Cures legislation. These recommendations will enhance care by modernizing and expanding Medicare’s coverage for evidenced-based nutrition care for chronic conditions, broaden access to home-based nutrition services, and allow credentialed nutrition providers, such as RDNs, to work within their full scope.

Read the Academy’s comments.