Frequently Asked Questions
Welcome to Feeding5 Nutrition! We know starting with a new practice can bring a lot of questions. Here are answers to the most common ones so you can feel confident before your first visit.
Yes! We accept most major insurance plans including Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, CareFirst, and United Healthcare. Many cover nutrition counseling at little to no cost—sometimes with unlimited visits. We strongly encourage you to use your benefits for preventive care, not just treatment.
However, that does not MEAN all these 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 below ‘What questions should I ask when calling my insurance?’
No problem! We offer self-pay options:
Initial visit (60 minutes): $160
Follow-up (30 minutes): $95
In the event, your claim is denied for lack of nutrition coverage, our initial visits (60-minutes) are $200.00 and each follow-up visit (30-minutes) is $100.00. Feeding 5 Nutrition accepts check, HSA/FSA cards and all major credit cards.
With a referral from a provider we can provide you with superbill if you’d like to submit for out-of-network reimbursement.
Please note it is the patient’s responsibility to call their insurance company PRIOR to your visit to confirm coverage. We do this because we don’t want our patients to have ANY surprise bills.
Do I have nutritional counseling coverage on my insurance plan?
If the insurance company asks for a CPT code please provide them with the following codes 97802 & 97803. If they say you do not have coverage using those codes NEXT ask them to check your coverage for the following CPT codes: 99401, 99402, 99403 and 99404.
Will my diagnosis be covered?
If the representative asks for a diagnosis code (aka ICD 10 code) – please tell them the visit is coded the ICD 10 code: Z71.3
If you are overweight, obese, have pre-diabetes, diabetes, hypertension, or high cholesterol you may want to see what your coverage is for these diagnoses as well.
We always try to code your visit using preventative coding (if applicable) to maximize the number of visits you receive from your insurance carrier. However, if you ONLY have a medical diagnosis (for example: IBS, Celiac, and you are not overweight or have CVD risk factors) your insurance may impose a cost-share for your visit either in the form of a deductible, co-pay or co-insurance.
How many visits do I have per calendar year?
Your carrier will let you know how many visits they are willing to cover. Depending on the carrier the number of visits vary from 0 to unlimited depending on medical need.
Do I have a cost-share for my nutrition visit?
A cost-share is the amount you will need to pay as required by your particular insurance plan towards your services. A cost-share can be in the form of a deductible, co-pay, or co-insurance.
We will always bill under your insurance policy’s plan, utilizing your preventative benefits, if your plan allows. With that being said, if you have preventive benefits, there is often no cost share associated with the visit. Once again, this is something YOU do want to ask before your visit.
If you have a cost-share, we will initially bill your insurance company directly. Once we receive the EOB describing your responsibility as the patient, we will bill you and/or the credit card on file for the amount noted under ‘patient responsibility.
For most insurance companies, dietitians are considered a specialist. Therefore, your specialist co-pay is applicable and must be paid at the time of service. This information is often apparent on the front of your actual insurance card. However, often because we bill your insurance with preventative counseling the co-pay is often not applicable.
We generally wait for the claim to be processed to determine whether you have a co-pay, and then bill or charge the credit card on file with us the co-pay amount.
Summary of questions to ask to verify your nutrition benefits
Do I have nutritional counseling coverage on my insurance plan?
If the insurance company asks for a CPT code please provide them with the following codes 97802 & 97803. If they say you do not have coverage using those codes NEXT ask them to check your coverage for the following CPT codes: 99401, 99402, 99403 and 99404.
Will my diagnosis be covered?
If the representative asks for a diagnosis code (aka ICD 10 code) – please tell them the visit is coded the ICD 10 code: Z71.3
If you are overweight, obese, have pre-diabetes, diabetes, hypertension, or high cholesterol you may want to see what your coverage is for these diagnoses as well.
We always try to code your visit using preventative coding (if applicable) to maximize the number of visits you receive from your insurance carrier. However, if you ONLY have a medical diagnosis (for example: IBS, Celiac, and you are not overweight or have CVD risk factors) your insurance may impose a cost-share for your visit either in the form of a deductible, co-pay or co-insurance.
How many visits do I have per calendar year?
Your carrier will let you know how many visits they are willing to cover. Depending on the carrier the number of visits vary from 0 to unlimited depending on medical need.
Do I have a cost-share for my nutrition visit?
A cost-share is the amount you will need to pay as required by your particular insurance plan towards your services. A cost-share can be in the form of a deductible, co-pay, or co-insurance.
We will always bill under your insurance policy’s plan, utilizing your preventative benefits, if your plan allows. With that being said, if you have preventive benefits, there is often no cost share associated with the visit. Once again, this is something YOU do want to ask before your visit.
If you have a cost-share, we will initially bill your insurance company directly. Once we receive the EOB describing your responsibility as the patient, we will bill you and/or the credit card on file for the amount noted under ‘patient responsibility.
For most insurance companies, dietitians are considered a specialist. Therefore, your specialist co-pay is applicable and must be paid at the time of service. This information is often apparent on the front of your actual insurance card. However, often because we bill your insurance with preventative counseling the co-pay is often not applicable.
We generally wait for the claim to be processed to determine whether you have a co-pay, and then bill or charge the credit card on file with us the co-pay amount.
Summary of questions to ask to verify your nutrition benefits
- Do I have coverage for nutrition counseling?
- Do I need a referral to see a Registered Dietitian?
- Are my diagnoses covered on my particular plan?
- How many visits per calendar year do I receive?
- Do I have a cost-share for these services?
- Is there an associated cost for me if I choose to have the appointment as a telehealth visit versus an in-person visit?
Your session will start at your scheduled time. Should you need to cancel, please contact Laura, our scheduler at least 24 hours prior to your appointment to avoid any no show charges. We understand emergencies come up, and you will not be penalized for something outside of your control. We ask that you communicate with us so we can inform your dietitian.
Congratulations on taking the first step in feeling your best! Besides for being excited to have support, education and accountability- the only thing you have to do is complete your new client
paperwork. Our new client paperwork is important so that you are consenting to work with us, allowing us to discuss your treatment with your medical team (therapist, PCP, Specialist...) if you
choose and allow us to prepare for your initial consultation. All new client paperwork is required at least 48 hours prior to your appointment and should only take ~30 minutes. If you need any help we are happy to support you!
We strongly recommend calling your insurance company to verify your eligibility, in-network participation and benefits coverage for "Nutritional Counseling" and
"Medical Nutritional Therapy". For steps on how to verify, see "What questions should I ask when calling my insurance company? above or contact us at billing@feeding5nutrition.com.
A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist has received a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from an accredited University.
Dietitians are required to have over 1200 hours of supervised practice and required to pass a national board examination in order to get credentialed and qualify for licensure. They also require continued education to maintain their credentialing.
In some states, Dietitians are the only professionals who are able to legally provide individualized nutrition advice.
When working with a Registered Dietitian, you will receive the most comprehensive care, given their extensive knowledge in biology, anatomy and physiology, drug-nutrient interactions, food safety and science, and various disease states.
A Nutritionist is someone who specializes in the study of nutrition. They obtain some education, they have no requirements on credentialing or continued education. In the United States they are not legally protected. Many people call themself a Nutritionist so make sure to check their education and credentials to ensure they have the proper training to guide you in your nutrition journey.
All visits are currently virtual for your convenience. Our virtual sessions make nutrition care simple and stress-free. You can meet with us from home, work, or even during carpool—no travel required. Virtual care is flexible, family-friendly, and available across multiple states, making it easier to stay consistent and reach your goals.
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