The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Advocates for Expanded Nutritional Coverage under Medicare

[Guest guest]

PRESS RELEASE http://www.eatright.org/Media/content.aspx?id=6442467246

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Advocates for Expanded

Nutritional Coverage under Medicare

Monday, December 19, 2011

Evidence on Cost Savings and Health Benefits of Nutritional

Intervention Published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and

Dietetics

Media Contacts: O'Malley, MacMunn

800/877-1600, ext. 4769, 4802 media@...

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has prepared a request to

submit to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to

expand coverage of medical nutrition therapy (MNT) for specific

diseases, including hypertension, obesity, and cancer, as part of the

CMS National Coverage Determination (NCD) Process. Most chronic health

conditions can be controlled or treated with medical nutrition

therapy, yet Medicare will only reimburse nutrition therapy services

provided by a registered dietitian for individuals with diabetes and

renal disease. " That's just not enough if we want to improve the

health of the nation and rein in escalating healthcare costs, " says

Marsha Schofield, MS, RD, LD, the Academy's Director of Nutrition

Services Coverage.

Under the NCD Process, the Secretary of the Department of Health and

Human Services can expand Medicare coverage for services that are

reasonable and necessary for the prevention of an illness. Ms.

Schofield explains, " There are an escalating number of baby boomers

turning 65 and entering the Medicare system. The majority of Medicare

spending is on individuals with chronic conditions, and almost 70% of

Medicare beneficiaries suffer from cardiovascular disease. Chronic

conditions can be controlled or treated with medical nutrition

therapy, so it just makes sense to try to expand the Medicare

beneficiary's access to these important services. "

The Academy's NCD request is published in the January 2012 issue of

the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and it presents

evidence from over 20 scientific studies that demonstrate the health

benefits and cost effectiveness of medical nutrition therapy, provided

by registered dietitians, in older adults with several diseases and

conditions. The evidence is grouped into three sections:

cardiovascular disease, including the treatment of high cholesterol,

hypertension, and heart failure; disease progression, including

obesity and metabolic syndrome, and pre-diabetes; and diseases related

to reduced nutrient intake or unintentional weight loss, for example

related to cancer, celiac disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary

disease, and HIV/AIDS.

In a podcast about the Academy's NCD request, Ms. Schofield notes,

" What was very significant about the document is that whether you're

talking about cardiovascular disease, pre-diabetes, hypertension,

cancer, or unintended weight loss, the evidence shows that medical

nutrition therapy services result in positive dietary change, improved

clinical status, and an improved quality of life. Also, they are cost

effective and have been proven to save money. " For example, four

previously published studies demonstrate that MNT provided by

registered dietitians (RDs) promotes changes in dietary intake of fat

and saturated fat, and leads to improvements in serum lipid levels in

adults with high LDL cholesterol. Four studies demonstrate that MNT

provided by an RD significantly reduces dietary sodium and lowers

blood pressure in older adults with hypertension. Seven studies

demonstrate that MNT provided by an RD results in significantly

improved outcomes in adults with cancer.

Medical nutrition therapy is provided by RDs, trained professionals

who offer food and nutrition services while assisting patients in

making healthy lifestyle changes. The evidence compiled by the Academy

in its NCD request shows that involvement by RDs in beneficiary care

has a substantial effect on both the health of the beneficiary, and is

almost always more cost effective than other treatments. " The research

demonstrates the value of the RD and our unique contributions on the

healthcare team are critical. We're the trusted source of credible and

useful nutritional information, " says Jeanne Blankenship, MS, RD, CLE,

Vice President, Policy Initiatives and Advocacy for the Academy.

According to the authors, MNT in each of the conditions discussed

clearly meets the requirements of an NCD. Moreover, RDs are the most

qualified professionals to deliver the necessary nutrition education

and MNT services for prevention, wellness, and disease management. By

expanding services under MNT, CMS has the opportunity to play a major

role in improving the quality of care provided to elderly and disabled

persons who fall into the Medicare population.

The article is " The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics National

Coverage Determination Formal Request, " by Prashanthi Rao Raman, Esq,

MPH, and a Gradwell, MS, RD, in the Journal of the Academy of

Nutrition and Dietetics, Volume 112, Issue 1 (January 2012) published

by Elsevier.

In an accompanying podcast Ms. Schofield, Ms. Blankenship, and Ms.

Gradwell discuss the NCD process undertaken by the Academy and share

insights about its potential impact on healthcare and the role of the

registered dietitian. The podcast is available at

http://andjrnl.org/content/podcast.

###

Notes for Editors

Full text of this article is available to credentialed journalists

upon request. Contact Eileen Leahy at or

adajmedia@... to obtain copies. Journalists wishing to set up

interviews with the authors may contact Marsha Schofield, MS, RD, LD,

Director, Nutrition Services Coverage, Academy of Nutrition and

Dietetics, , ext. 4787,mschofield@..., or Jeanne

Blankenship, MS, RD, CLE, Vice President, Policy Initiatives and

Advocacy, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, ,

jblankenship@....

An audio podcast featuring an interview with Marsha Schofield, Jeanne

Blankenship, and a Gradwell and information specifically for

journalists are located athttp://adajournal.org/content/mediapodcast.

Excerpts from the podcast may be reproduced by the media; contact

Eileen Leahy to obtain permission.

About the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

The official journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

(www.eatright.org), the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and

Dietetics (www.andjrnl.org) is the premier source for the practice and

science of food, nutrition and dietetics. The monthly, peer-reviewed

journal presents original articles prepared by scholars and

practitioners and is the most widely read professional publication in

the field. The Journal focuses on advancing professional knowledge

across the range of research and practice issues such as: nutritional

science, medical nutrition therapy, public health nutrition, food

science and biotechnology, food service systems, leadership and

management and dietetics education.

The Journal has a current Impact Factor of 3.244 in the Nutrition and

Dietetics category of the Journal Citation Reports®, published by

Thomson Reuters. It was previously published as the Journal of the

American Dietetic Association.

About the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (www.eatright.org), formerly

the American Dietetic Association, is the world's largest organization

of food and nutrition professionals. The Academy is committed to

improving the nation's health and advancing the profession of

dietetics through research, education and advocacy.

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and

medical information products and services. The company works in

partnership with the global science and health communities to publish

more than 2,000 journals, including The Lancet (www.thelancet.com) and

Cell (www.cell.com), and close to 20,000 book titles, including major

reference works from Mosby and Saunders. Elsevier's online solutions

include SciVerse ScienceDirect (www.sciencedirect.com), SciVerse

Scopus (www.scopus.com), Reaxys (www.reaxys.com), MD Consult

(www.mdconsult.com) and Nursing Consult (www.nursingconsult.com),

which enhance the productivity of science and health professionals,

and the SciVal suite (www.scival.com) and MEDai's Pinpoint Review

(www.medai.com), which help research and health care institutions

deliver better outcomes more cost-effectively.

A global business headquartered in Amsterdam, Elsevier

(www.elsevier.com) employs 7,000 people worldwide. The company is part

of Elsevier Group PLC (www.reedelsevier.com), a world-leading

publisher and information provider, which is jointly owned by

Elsevier PLC and Elsevier NV. The ticker symbols are REN

(Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New

York Stock Exchange).

--

Thanks, Weaver MS RD LD Medical Nutritionist/Medical

Assistant http://mdrdtherapy.com Medifast Take Shape For Life! Power

To Choose Optimal Health! 404 875-9919 Health Coach ID 30020181

http://victoriaweavermsrdld.tsfl.com Senior Executive Agent Insurance

Producers of America LLC 3755 Marconi Dr Alpharetta GA 30005

Affordable Health/Life Insurance For Business CEOs & Self-Employeed!

National Group Protection/24 Hour World/On Job Coverage/Non-Profit

FREE Quote http://victoriaweaver.abbaplans.com View our new

Testimonial Video Life Insurance for Life!

http://www.anallianceforlife.com/clients/video.html