H.R. 2495 — Nutrition CARE Act of 2025

This section states congressional findings on eating disorders, including that 28.8 million individuals (9% of the U.S. population) will experience one in their lifetime, with 1.62-2.08 million Medicare Part B enrollees affected (including 420,500-560,700 Black, Indigenous, or People of Color beneficiaries); that they cause 10,200 deaths annually (1 every 52 minutes), with mortality 23 times higher suicide risk than expected; that Medicare covers some but not all treatment (lacking outpatient medical nutrition therapy and all intensive outpatient or residential care); that they impose $64.7 billion in annual economic costs ($23.5 billion to families/individuals; $209.7 million for 23,560 inpatient hospitalizations; $29.3 million for 53,918 emergency visits); and that they pose heightened risks for elderly patients with comorbidities.

This section expands Medicare Part B coverage of medical nutrition therapy services—nutrition counseling for disease management furnished by a registered dietitian or nutrition professional—to individuals with an eating disorder (as defined by the Secretary using the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) beginning January 1, 2026 (previously limited to diabetes). The services must be pursuant to a referral by a physician or psychologist (or other mental health professional as authorized under state law) and, for eating disorder management, furnished for at least (1) 13 hours (including a 1-hour initial assessment and 12 hours of reassessment and intervention) in the first year after initial furnishing and (2) 4 hours in each subsequent year, subject to additional reasonable limitations established by the Secretary.