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- Medicare
- Updated October 2026
What does Medicare pay a dietitian for? The Medicare code sheet
The short answer. MNT for diabetes, kidney disease and a kidney transplant in the last 36 months, with a doctor's referral: 3 hours in the first calendar year and 2 a year after, more with a second referral (G0270). The patient pays nothing, and you are paid 85% of the fee schedule.
- Every rule links to its sourceThe payer's own policy, so you can check it before a claim goes out.
- Last verified October 22, 2026Every source opened that day.
- Made by a dietitian billing personBy Javier Alvarez, from filing claims for two dietitians.
By Javier Alvarez · Updated · 2 min read
| Codes | 97802 once for the first visit, 97803 for every later individual visit, 97804 for groups; G0270/G0271 for hours beyond the base after a second referral in the same year |
|---|---|
| Telehealth | POS 02 or 10, paired with modifier 95 for audio and video (93 for audio only). POS 10 pays the non-facility rate. Patients can be at home through December 31, 2027. Registered dietitians are eligible telehealth practitioners |
| Visit limits | 3 hours first year, 2 hours each later year; unused hours don't carry over |
| Allowed amount | 2026 national rate paid to a dietitian: $31.23 per unit of 97802, $26.97 per unit of 97803 or G0270. Your locality changes it: see Medicare MNT rates by state |
| Last verified | October 22, 2026, every source opened that day |
What does Medicare pay a dietitian for?
| Original Medicare (Part B) | |
|---|---|
| Codes | 97802 once for the first visit, 97803 for every later individual visit, 97804 for groups; G0270/G0271 for hours beyond the base after a second referral in the same year |
| Diagnoses | Diabetes (for example E11.x) and kidney disease or a transplant in the last 36 months. Medicare doesn't cover MNT for obesity alone. Dialysis patients get MNT as part of dialysis care |
| Telehealth | POS 02 or 10, paired with modifier 95 for audio and video (93 for audio only). POS 10 pays the non-facility rate. Patients can be at home through December 31, 2027. Registered dietitians are eligible telehealth practitioners |
| Units | Per 15 minutes; 8 to 22 minutes is 1 unit (CMS timed-code table) |
| Referral, prior auth | A referral from the treating doctor is required |
| Visit limits | 3 hours first year, 2 hours each later year; unused hours don't carry over |
| Allowed amount | 2026 national rate paid to a dietitian: $31.23 per unit of 97802, $26.97 per unit of 97803 or G0270. Your locality changes it: see Medicare MNT rates by state |
| Our paid-claim data | Pending |
Medicare Advantage plans follow these rules at a minimum and add their own, so check the plan. 99401 to 99404 and S9470 are not among the MNT codes Medicare pays a dietitian for.
Verified on October 22, 2026. Source: Medicare.gov MNT, Claims Processing Manual ch. 4 Section 300, CR 13582, CMS telehealth FAQ, MLN901705, RVU26D. More on the Medicare page.
What is on the Medicare PDF?
The PDF holds only Medicare: its codes, diagnoses, telehealth POS and modifier, units, limits, the date we opened each policy and the link to it. The other five payers have their own sheet, so you print only the one a claim needs. See the sheet for every payer.
How many units does a visit bill?
Short answer: One unit per 15 minutes of face-to-face time, counted from 8 minutes. That is CMS's table for 15-minute timed codes, and the same midpoint rule CPT uses. A commercial contract can count units differently or cap them per visit, and the contract wins.
| Face-to-face minutes | 97802 / 97803 / G0270 units |
|---|---|
| Under 8 | 0 (not billable) |
| 8 to 22 | 1 |
| 23 to 37 | 2 |
| 38 to 52 | 3 |
| 53 to 67 | 4 |
| 68 to 82 | 5 |
Group codes (97804, G0271) are per 30 minutes. The MNT units calculator does the arithmetic for any visit length. Source: CMS Claims Processing Manual, ch. 5 Section 20.2, verified October 22, 2026.
