Clinical and cost benefits of medical nutrition therapy by registered dietitian nutritionists for management of dyslipidemia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Faced with increasing health care costs, it is incumbent to discern whether managing dyslipidemia with medical nutrition therapy (MNT) by a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) is clinically and cost effective.

Objective: To systematically examine evidence on the clinical effectiveness and cost benefit of MNT by an RDN for the treatment of dyslipidemia.

Methods: English and full-text research articles published between January 2003 and October 2014 were identified using PubMed, MEDLINE, and the Worldcat.

Best practices in policy and access (coding and reimbursement) for weight loss surgery.

To update evidence-based best practice guidelines for coding and reimbursement and establish policy and access standards for weight loss surgery (WLS). Systematic search of English-language literature on WLS and health-care policy, access, insurance reimbursement, coding, private payers, public policy, and mandated benefits published between April 2004 and May 2007 in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library. Use of key words to narrow the search for a selective review of abstracts, retrieval of full articles, and grading of evidence according to systems used in established evidence-based models.

Diabetes white paper: Defining the delivery of nutrition services in Medicare medical nutrition therapy vs Medicare diabetes self-management training programs.

Registered dietitians (RDs) have a defined and unique role in care for patients with diabetes that differs depending on whether the service is for medical nutrition therapy (MNT) or part of a diabetes self-management training (DSMT) program (DSMT and diabetes self-management education [DSME] are used interchangeably in this article). The purpose of this article is to describe the current regulatory and practice framework that supports nutrition care under Medicare Part B for people with diabetes. A description of MNT and DSMT provided under Medicare Part B is included.

Coding and reimbursement for weight loss surgery: best practice recommendations.

Objective: To review the use and usefulness of billing codes for services related to weight loss surgery (WLS) and to examine third party reimbursement policies for these services.

Research Methods And Procedures: The Task Group carried out a systematic search of MEDLINE, the Internet, and the trade press for publications on WLS, coding, reimbursement, and coding and reimbursement policy. Twenty-eight articles were each reviewed and graded using a system based on established evidence-based models.