Missing out on Medicare’s nutrition counseling
sugar readings,” he said of changes in his diet including eating less bread. “I wish I knew I could have had this help years ago.”
After getting a referral this summer from his doctor, Rocco learned that Medicare covers personal nutritional counseling for people with diabetes or kidney disease.
The estimated 15 million Medicare enrollees with diabetes or chronic kidney disease are eligible for the benefit, but the federal health insurance program for people 65 and older and some people with disabilities paid for only about 100,000 recipients to get the counseling in 2017, the latest year billing data is available. The data does not include the 20 million enrollees in private Medicare Advantage plans.
Health experts say the littleused benefit represents a lost opportunity for beneficiaries to improve their health — and for the program to save money by preventing costly complications from the diseases.
An estimated 1 in 4 people 65 and older have diabetes and 1 in 3 have chronic kidney disease. Kidney disease is often a complication of diabetes.
The prevalence of diabetes has risen markedly in the past 20 years and the condition is more common as people age.
Nationwide, there are 100,000 registered dietitians — more than enough to meet demand, said Krista Yoder Latortue, executive