[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 143 (Sunday, October 11, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2083]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


               THE MEDICARE MEDICAL NUTRITION THERAPY ACT

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                          HON. JOHN E. ENSIGN

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                       Saturday, October 10, 1998

  Mr. ENSIGN. Mr. Speaker, it is rare for any legislation in the House 
of Representatives to obtain the support of a majority of its Members. 
In fact, fewer than 1 percent of all bills introduced in the 105th 
Congress have reached this status. I would like to announce with pride 
that a bill I sponsored, H.R. 1375, the Medical Nutrition Therapy Act, 
has achieved this remarkable level of support.
  Over 220 of our colleagues support this measure because they 
recognize that the absence of coverage for nutrition therapy services 
is a glaring omission in current Medicare policy. Medical science makes 
clear that properly nourished patients are better able to resist 
disease and recover from illnesses than those who are malnourished. We 
also know that elderly Americans are at a higher risk of malnutrition 
than others in society due to the naturally occurring aging process.
  Despite this knowledge, Medicare does not cover nutrition assessment 
and counseling services by registered dietitians--what is commonly 
known in the health care field as medical nutrition therapy (MNT). As a 
result, the elderly either pay for this service out of their own 
pockets, or go without. This is not a choice that those on fixed 
incomes should have to make. Medical nutrition therapy is medically 
necessary care and ought to be a covered benefit.
  I am convinced that this bill is an important part of the solution to 
saving Medicare. It will help us cut costs without sacrificing the 
quality of patient care. Emperical evidence shows that MNT is effective 
for patients with diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and other costly 
diseases that are prominent among the elderly. It lowers treatment 
costs by reducing and shortening the length of hospital stays, 
preventing health care complications and decreasing the need for 
medications. Yet still, we do not provide senior coverage for this 
care.
  It should be noted that support for medical nutrition therapy is not 
confined to Congress. Major patient advocacy groups including the 
American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, the National 
Kidney Foundation, the American Diabetes Association, and the National 
Osteoporosis Foundation also support coverage for MNT. These groups 
understand that appropriate nutrition therapy saves money and lives.
  Any measure that achieves such an impressive level of political 
support is deserving of serious deliberation in this body. While I 
regret that this bill will not be taken up in the remaining days of 
this Congress, I urge the leadership of both parties to make this bill 
a top priority next year. While the Balanced Budget Act helped 
strengthen the Medicare program in the short term, additional reforms 
will be necessary to prepare the program for the coming retirement of 
the Baby Boom generation. Congress will be remiss if it overlooks 
medical nutrition therapy as part of those long-term reforms.
  In closing, I want to thank the American Diabetic Association and the 
Nevada Diabetic Association for their fine work in helping me educate 
Members of Congress about this important measure. The dedicated health 
and nutrition professionals represented by those groups can be proud of 
how far this bill had advanced in the 105th Congress and confident that 
we will ultimately succeed in these efforts.

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