Want to use insurance for your nutrition visit?
In most cases, you can use insurance to see a dietitian nutritionist.
We can see clients from these states:
Alaska, Arizona, California (needs MD referral), Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington state, Wisconsin.
You may be wondering —
“Will insurance pick up the cost of my nutrition visit?”
And the answer is …
Most health insurance companies cover nutrition counseling. So in most instances you CAN use insurance for your nutrition visit.
Great news!
But you need to call to verify that you do, in fact, have benefits on your insurance policy for nutrition counseling.
Use this script when you call your insurance company <– LINK.
(We don’t like surprises and assume you don’t either — especially the “you-owe-money” surprises).
Many plans cover nutrition counseling for prevention of disease. Also, many plans cover nutrition visits if you have a medical diagnosis.
So, why not check to see if your insurance policy will cover visits for you to see us?
Start by calling the 1-800 number on the back of your insurance card and ask to speak with a representative.
The information in the document linked above will walk you through the steps to see if your insurance will cover the cost of nutrition counseling for your visit.
We are a preferred provider with:
Insurance FAQs
Does insurance cover medical nutrition therapy (MNT)?
In many cases yes, MNT is covered by insurance, but due to the many types of insurance plans and policies, we don’t know your specific policy or plan requirements.
Please know that not all insurances cover nutrition.
Therefore, you are required to call your insurance company prior to scheduling your visit to confirm your nutrition visits will be covered.
Please follow the steps in the PDF linked above for questions to ask when calling your insurance company.
In the event your claim is denied for lack of nutrition coverage, our initial visits (60-minutes) are $180.00 and each follow-up visit (30-minutes) is $90.00. Caitlin Russell Nutrition accepts cash, check, HSA/FSA cards and all major credit cards.
You are responsible for knowing and understanding your applicable insurance policies.
Depending on your insurance carrier, the number of visits that are covered (paid for) by insurance varies from zero to unlimited – it all depends on your insurance and your medical needs.
Do you accept insurance as a dietitian nutritionist?
Yes, we are in network with Aetna, Cigna, and United Healthcare.
We can see clients from these states:
Alaska, Arizona, California (needs MD referral), Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington state, Wisconsin.
If we are not in network with your particular insurance company and you have out of network benefits, we can provide you with a superbill for you to submit to your insurance company. You will need to request a superbill from us at the time of your appointment. These are not sent automatically.
When using a superbill, you will pay for services upfront and the insurance company will reimburse you, the client, afterwards.
Call the member number on your insurance card and ask if you have Medical Nutrition Therapy coverage for CPT codes 97802 , 97803, 99402, 99403, 99404. (use the PDF linked above – it has all the questions to ask)
If you have a diagnosis from your doctor, provide that information to the insurance company and ask if services are covered for that diagnosis.
In the event your claim is denied for lack of nutrition coverage, our initial visits (60-minutes) are $180.00 and each follow-up visit (30-minutes) is $90.00. Caitlin Russell Nutrition accepts cash, check, HSA/FSA cards and all major credit cards.
You are responsible for knowing and understanding your applicable insurance policies.
Why do you need a copy of my insurance card?
To provide accurate billing information, we require a copy of your insurance card and identification card prior to your appointment.
We cannot file or accept the assignment of your insurance unless you provide proof of all insurance information.
Failure to provide sufficient insurance information 48 hours prior to your appointment time will result in you being charged the self-pay rate.
What insurance do you accept?
We are in network with Aetna, Cigna, and United Healthcare as of Dec 2024. More will be added as soon as the insurance companies verify our business information (this can take them months!).
In the event your claim is denied for lack of nutrition coverage, our initial visits (60-minutes) are $180.00 and each follow-up visit (30-minutes) is $90.00. Caitlin Russell Nutrition accepts cash, check, HSA/FSA cards and all major credit cards.
You are responsible for knowing and understanding your applicable insurance policies.
How do I verify my insurance benefits for nutrition therapy? (what questions do I ask?)
It is the patient’s responsibility to call their insurance company PRIOR to their visit to confirm coverage.
I know we sound like a broken record – we just don’t want you to have ANY surprise bills.
Please open and print this document for the questions to ask your insurance company.
Please call the number on the back of your insurance card. Be ready to take notes and get a reference code from the person you speak with from your insurance company.
This way you can reference that code if you ever need to call back with a question or about a rejected claim.
In the event your claim is denied for lack of nutrition coverage, our initial visits (60-minutes) are $180.00 and each follow-up visit (30-minutes) is $90.00. Caitlin Russell Nutrition accepts cash, check, HSA/FSA cards and all major credit cards.
You are responsible for knowing and understanding your applicable insurance policies.
Will you verify my insurance benefits for nutrition therapy?
We do not verify benefits on behalf of our patients. Use the information linked in the PDF above and call the number on the back of your insurance card for plan details and coverage for nutrition counseling.
It’s important to know that any time you contact a health insurance provider to obtain benefits, they provide this disclaimer:
“A quote of benefits and/or authorization does not guarantee payment or verify eligibility. Payment of benefits are subject to all terms, conditions, limitations, and exclusions of the member’s contract at the time of service.”
Essentially, your insurance company isn’t responsible if they tell you that a service is covered and then it turns out that’s not actually the case.
We know this can be frustrating. If we file your claim timely & correctly but your insurance provider does not provide the benefits you were quoted, please contact your health insurance company directly to have them reprocess your claim correctly.
What CPT codes should I ask my insurance company about when verifying my coverage?
Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes are a five-digit number that identifies a medical procedure or service.
97802
97803
97804
99401
99402
99403
99404
S9470
Why do you need my credit card info even though I confirmed that my insurance will cover my nutrition visit?
This is the most common question we receive.
Your credit card is only charged if you DO NOT show up for your visit, you cancel without providing a 24-hour notice, or your insurance plan has an unsatisfied deductible, co-pay, or co-insurance.
We code your visit with us (when applicable) under the preventative side of your policy; therefore, most of the time, no co-pay or deductible needs to be met for our services.
Your time is super valuable! And so is ours.
If you are a no-show for your visit or cancel without providing 24 hours’ notice, we can’t charge the insurance for a visit that didn’t occur. Therefore, we have a credit card on file to protect the dietitian’s time.
In full transparency, this rarely happens. However, we treat all patients the same and require a credit card in the rare event it does.
What happens if I need to cancel my appointment?
If you need to cancel your appointment (and it is MORE than 24 hours away), you can do so through our HIPAA secure patient portal HERE. Click on ‘Upcoming Sessions’ to request a change.
If you wish to cancel your appointment (and it is LESS than 24 hours away), you can’t do so online. You must email us at caitlin@russellnutrition.com.
Per our office policy, a late cancellation fee of $75 may occur. We understand emergencies come up. And you will not be penalized for something outside of your control.
We just ask that you communicate with us.
What if I live far away from Caitlin's office in GA?
Most insurance companies cover telehealth visits.
If you are out of state, (Caitlin works in East Cobb, GA), you will be directed to properly book for a telehealth session.
However, it is possible your insurance plan may impose a cost-share or co-pay for you to use this service.
Please call your insurance company to confirm your telehealth coverage PRIOR to scheduling your visit. (use the PDF linked above when you call)
If you prefer to be in-person at our East Cobb, GA location, we are happy to accommodate your request.
On our appointments page you can choose what type of visit you want — in-person or telehealth (using HIPAA compliant video).
Do you accept HSA/FSA cards for cash payments or co-pays?
yes
What if you don’t accept my insurance or I don’t have insurance?
If we are not in-network with your insurance but your insurance tells you that you do have out-of-network benefits for Medical Nutrition Therapy, we can provide you with a “superbill” (a receipt with the needed codes for insurance) for the session.
Payment in full is due at the time of service if you need a superbill, and then you submit the superbill to your insurance for your possible reimbursement. You must request the superbill at the time of your nutrition session with Caitlin.
If you do not have insurance, you can pay for your sessions (and any co-pays) using a credit card or a health savings account (HSA).
Do I need a referral?
Be sure to ask your insurance company if a referral is required in order to see a dietitian.
If required, you can request a referral from your doctor and have it faxed to us at 404-924-7357. We must have the referral BEFORE the appointment in order for your visit to be covered.
We always need a referral for patients wishing us to bill Aetna or Medicare.
Be sure to ALWAYS get a reference code from any representative you speak with at your insurance company. This helps to hold the insurance company accountable for information they provide on your call.
How much is a session with Caitlin?
Without using insurance, our self-pay rate is $180 for the initial 60 minute consultation and $90 for 30 minute follow ups.
Is there a co-pay?
For most insurance companies, we are considered specialists. Therefore, your specialist co-pay is applicable if the claim is not considered preventative.
We will submit the claim on your behalf. Once we receive your explanation of benefits (EOB) back from your insurance provider, we will invoice you for any patient responsibility.
What insurance companies is Caitlin Russell Nutrition In-Network with?
Aetna
Most Aetna plans allow 10 “healthy diet counseling” sessions per 12 month period.
Most plans also allow for 26 sessions per 12 month period for obesity prevention or overweight PLUS a cardiovascular co-morbidity.
If you fall into these categories, please have your doctor fax over your medical records or a referral with these specific diagnosis codes.
Most Aetna plans also allow for unlimited sessions for pediatric patients up to 22 years old.
Cigna
Every plan is different, however a lot of the Cigna plans have a maximum of 3 visits for nutrition counseling or medical nutrition therapy (CPT codes 97802, 97803) per calendar year.
Most plans often have unlimited visits for preventative medicine counseling (CPT codes 99402,99403,99404).
Please note: Currently, we are not part of the HMO Connect plan. If you have this type of Cigna plan, we are considered out of network. Please check before your appointment if you have out of network benefits.
United Healthcare
Individual Exchange Plan
We have not been added as an in network provider. Until we are added, we will be out of network for these plans. Patients will need to choose the self pay cash rate option.
State Health Benefit Plan
These require a medical diagnosis to be submitted on the claim (instead of our typical Z71.3 for dietary counseling and surveillance). Since it is out of our scope of practice to diagnose medical conditions, we need documentation of any medical conditions prior to submitting your claim. This can be in the form of medical records or a referral.
UMR
Check if your United Healthcare insurance card has UMR on the front or back. They require a medical diagnosis to be submitted on the claim (instead of our typical Z71.3 for dietary counseling and surveillance).
Since it is out of our scope of practice to diagnose medical conditions, we need documentation of any medical conditions prior to submitting your claim. This can be in the form of medical records or a referral.
USHealth
Check if your United Healthcare insurance card has USHealth on the front of your card. Most of these plans do not cover our services. Please be sure to call to verify benefits for nutritional counseling.
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In the event your claim is denied for lack of nutrition coverage, our initial visits (60-minutes) are $180.00 and each follow-up visit (30-minutes) is $90.00. Caitlin Russell Nutrition accepts cash, check, HSA/FSA cards and all major credit cards.
You are responsible for knowing and understanding your applicable insurance policies.
What if I don’t see my insurance company listed?
If you don’t see your insurance company listed as in-network for us, then we are considered OUT OF NETWORK.
If we are out of network for your insurance company, you would pay our self-pay rates at the time of service and we can provide a superbill you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. Just let us know if you need a superbill at the time of your appointment.
Self-Pay
Our self-pay rates are $180 for the Initial Consultation and $90 for follow ups.
Can I use insurance to pay for MRT food sensitivity testing?
Unfortunately, insurance does not cover the cost of MRT food sensitivity testing.
You can book a free call here to discuss payment options for the test.
Have more questions?
Send us a message using the contact form in the footer of this webpage.
We do our best to reply to all messages within 2 business days (and usually much sooner).
Please call your insurance company before making your appointment, to ask about your benefits.