Medicare to pay for obesity counseling sessions - but NOT with dietitians

[Guest guest]

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20111130/Medicare-to-pay-for-obesity-counseling\

-sessions.aspx

" Screening for obesity and counseling for eligible beneficiaries by primary

care providers are covered under the new benefit, CMS added. For those

patients who are diagnosed to be obese based on body mass index measures,

the benefit would include one face-to-face counseling visit each week for

one month and one face-to-face counseling visit every other week for an

additional five months. Medicare patients who lose at least 6.6 pounds (3

kilograms) during the first six months of counseling would be eligible to

receive addition face-to-face counseling once a month for an additional six

months for up to a total of 12 months of counseling, the agency said.

O'Neil, president of the Obesity Society, a group of weight-control

researchers and professionals, said the change recognizes the medical

significance of obesity. *However, it doesn't cover treatment provided by

dietitians and psychologists. "

*A colleague of mine (not a RD or physician) argued that the physician

could take the reimbursement money and then use it to pay the dietitian to

do the counseling (ideally).

Is that even possible? Can a doctor charge for reimbursement when they

themselves don't perform the service?

Shelby , MS, RD, LD