CMS Pub. 100-04, ch. 4, § 300.3

A. Professional Standards for Dietitians and Nutritionists

For Medicare Part B coverage of MNT, only a registered dietitian or nutrition

professional may provide the services. “Registered dietitian or nutrition professional”

means a dietitian or nutritionist licensed or certified in a state as of December 21, 2000

(they are not required to meet any other requirements); or an individual whom, on or after

December 22, 2000:

• Holds a bachelor’s or higher degree granted by a regionally accredited college or

university in the United States (or an equivalent foreign degree) with completion of the

academic requirements of a program in nutrition or dietetics, as accredited by an

appropriate national accreditation organization recognized for this purpose. The academic

requirements of a nutrition or dietetics program may be completed after the completion of

the degree;

• Has completed at least 900 hours of supervised dietetics practice under the supervision

of a registered dietitian or nutrition professional. Documentation of the supervised

dietetics practice may be in the form of a signed document by the professional/facility

that supervised the individual; and,

• Is licensed or certified as a dietitian or nutrition professional by the state in which the

services are performed. In a state that does not provide for licensure or certification, the

individual will be deemed to have met this requirement if he or she is recognized as a

“registered dietitian” by the Commission on Dietetic Registration or its successor

organization, or meets the requirements stated above.

B. Enrollment of Dietitians and Nutritionists

• In order to file claims for MNT, a registered dietitian/nutrition professional must be

enrolled as a provider in the Medicare program and meet the requirements outlined

above. MNT services can be billed with the effective date of the provider’s license and

the establishment of the practice location.

• The A/B MAC (B) shall establish a permanent NPI for any new registered dietitian or

nutrition professional who is applying to become a Medicare provider for MNT.

• Registered dietitians and nutrition professionals must accept assignment. Since these

new providers must accept assignment, the limiting charge does not apply.