Medicare medical nutrition therapy: legislative process and product.

The new Medicare benefit, medical nutrition therapy (MNT), came into effect January 2002-the product of a lengthy legislative process. Over several years, evidence-based advocacy by groups such as the American Diabetic Association and the National Kidney Foundation led to a legislative product that was introduced and passed by Congress. More recently, the legislation entered an implementation process, including the most recent Coverage Determination phase. The definition of MNT and the scientific evidence supporting it are presented. Evidence-based nutrition now enters a new phase of implementation and additional analysis.