[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 12, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E443-E444]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         INTRODUCTION OF THE MEDICARE MEDICAL NUTRITION THERAPY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. FRED UPTON

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 12, 2003

  Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join with Representatives 
Anna Eshoo, J.D. Hayworth, and Xavier Becerra in introducing the 
bipartisan Medicare Medical Nutrition Therapy Amendment Act of 2003. 
Several years ago, we amended the Medicare program to provide coverage 
for medical nutrition therapy services provided by registered 
dietitians and nutrition professionals for persons with diabetes or 
renal disease. The legislation we are introducing today will add 
Medicare coverage for services for beneficiaries with cardiovascular 
disease.
  Medical nutrition therapy provided by registered dietitians and 
nutrition professionals is sound health care policy. It can save 
millions of dollars for a health care system beleaguered by escalating 
costs, and it can prevent unnecessary pain and suffering for millions 
of people and their families. In response to a request in the 1997 
Balanced Budget Act, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy 
of Sciences studied the value of adding medical nutrition therapy 
services for Medicare beneficiaries and the Medicare program and issued 
a report recommending that this benefit be added to the program. The 
report stated that coverage for medical nutrition therapy will 
``improve the quality of care and is likely to be a valuable and 
efficient use of Medicare resources, because of the comparatively low 
treatment costs and ancillary benefits associated with nutrition 
therapy.'' The report concluded that nutrition therapy has proven 
effective in the ``management and treatment of

[[Page E444]]

many chronic diseases that affect Medicare beneficiaries, including . . 
. hypertension, heart failure, diabetes, and chronic renal 
insufficiency.''
  I urge my colleagues who have not yet cosponsored this bipartisan, 
sound health policy proposal to join us in this effort.

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