WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) reintroduced bipartisan legislation today to improve access to care for seniors and people living with disabilities who struggle with eating disorders. 

While not often discussed, according to estimates, eating disorders affect 3-4 percent of the senior population. Eating disorders also affect 6 percent of females and 3 percent of males who experience disabilities. The bipartisan Nutrition CARE Act would expand access to medical care for Medicare beneficiaries with eating disorders by including coverage of outpatient medical nutrition therapy through Medicare Part B, which will provide patients with a more comprehensive, specialized approach to combating eating disorders than what is currently offered under Medicare.

“It is important to remember that eating disorders can impact anyone at any age, including our seniors," Senator Capito said. 
“This legislation would ensure all of those struggling with eating disorders can receive the proper, targeted treatment they need to address the challenges they are facing.”

The bipartisan 
Nutrition CARE Act would allow registered physicians, dieticians, nutrition specialists, and mental health professionals to provide medical nutrition therapy services to Medicare beneficiaries. Currently, Medicare beneficiaries struggling with an eating disorder can only access psychiatric, therapy, and medical services. The expanded services would include 13 hours of medical nutrition therapy, including a one hour initial assessment and 12 hours of reassessment and intervention, during the first year that the beneficiary begins receiving services. The beneficiary would then be able to access four hours of medical nutrition therapy services during each subsequent year.

Read the text of the legislation here
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