Medical Nutrition Therapy Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
Introduced
Summary
Expands Medicare coverage for medical nutrition therapy to let more beneficiaries get nutrition care for a wider set of diseases and conditions. It would amend Title XVIII of the Social Security Act so MNT is available beyond just diabetes and renal disease.
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- Patients: Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes, prediabetes, obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, malnutrition, eating disorders, cancer, gastrointestinal diseases including celiac disease, HIV/AIDS, and cardiovascular disease would become eligible for medical nutrition therapy for prevention, management, or treatment of those conditions.
- Providers: The bill would recognize a broader set of qualified providers. Physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists could furnish MNT and, for eating disorders, clinical psychologists could also provide these services.
- Program rules and timing: Coverage would be limited to services furnished for the specified conditions and would exclude MNT for individuals receiving maintenance dialysis. The Secretary of Health and Human Services could add other qualifying conditions consistent with United States Preventive Services Task Force recommendations or clinical guidelines, and the changes would take effect for services furnished beginning two years after enactment.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
More Medicare nutrition therapy coverage
If enacted, Medicare would cover medical nutrition therapy (MNT) when it is used to prevent, manage, or treat listed diseases and conditions. Covered conditions would include diabetes, prediabetes, renal disease (but not for people receiving maintenance dialysis), obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, malnutrition, eating disorders, cancer, gastrointestinal diseases (including Celiac), HIV/AIDS, and cardiovascular disease. The Health Secretary could add other conditions related to unintentional weight loss or when MNT is medically necessary consistent with USPSTF recommendations or accepted clinical protocols. Physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists could furnish MNT. Clinical psychologists could furnish MNT only for eating-disorder treatment. These changes would apply to services furnished in years beginning two years after enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
ME • R
Cosponsors
Gary Peters
MI • D
Sponsored 2/26/2026
Sen. Marshall, Roger [R-KS]
KS • R
Sponsored 4/13/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov