2025 CPT code 97802
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Medicine - Medical Nutrition Therapy Procedures Medicine Services and Procedures Feed
Medical nutrition therapy; initial assessment and intervention, individual, face-to-face with the patient, each 15 minutes.
Modifiers may apply depending on the circumstances of service.Consult CPT guidelines and payer-specific instructions.
Medical nutrition therapy is medically necessary when a patient has a medical condition that necessitates dietary intervention to improve their health or prevent complications.Examples include diabetes, heart failure, renal disease, and eating disorders.Documentation should clearly link the patient's diagnosis and symptoms to the need for medical nutrition therapy.
A registered dietitian or other qualified nutrition professional is responsible for conducting the assessment, developing the dietary plan, and providing education to the patient.
In simple words: This code covers the first meeting with a dietitian to create a personalized meal plan to help manage a medical condition.The dietitian will talk with you, assess your needs, and create a plan. The code is used for every 15 minutes of this first appointment.
This CPT code, 97802, represents medical nutrition therapy involving an initial assessment and intervention provided individually to a patient in a face-to-face setting.The service includes a comprehensive assessment of the patient's medical condition, a nutrition screen, and the development of a personalized dietary plan designed to improve their health and quality of life. Each 15-minute interval of this initial visit is separately billable using this code.Subsequent visits are coded using 97803 (re-assessment and intervention).
Example 1: A patient with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus is referred for medical nutrition therapy. The registered dietitian conducts an initial assessment (97802) lasting 45 minutes (3 units), creating an individualized meal plan and educating the patient on carbohydrate counting and portion control., A patient recovering from a stroke presents with dysphagia (difficulty swallowing).The initial assessment (97802) by a speech-language pathologist and registered dietitian team takes 30 minutes (2 units), focused on texture modifications and safe swallowing techniques. , A patient with heart failure requires dietary modifications to manage fluid retention.The initial assessment (97802) spans an hour (4 units), encompassing education on sodium restriction, fluid intake limits, and appropriate food choices.
* Thorough patient history, including medical diagnoses, current medications, allergies, and dietary habits.* Detailed nutrition assessment, including anthropometric measurements (height, weight, BMI), biochemical data (e.g., blood glucose, cholesterol levels), and dietary intake.* Documentation of the individualized dietary plan, including specific recommendations for food choices, portion sizes, and meal timing.* Patient education notes detailing the information provided to the patient regarding their dietary plan and self-management strategies.
** This code is for individual, face-to-face medical nutrition therapy.Other codes exist for group sessions and reassessments.
- Revenue Code: P6D (MINOR PROCEDURES - OTHER (NON-MEDICARE FEE SCHEDULE))
- RVU: Information not available in source data.Consult current fee schedules for relative value units and reimbursement rates.
- Global Days: Information not available in source data.Refer to payer-specific guidelines for global period considerations.
- Payment Status: Active
- Modifier TC rule: Not applicable.This code represents the entire service.
- Fee Schedule: Information not available in source data.Refer to historical fee schedules from relevant payers.
- Specialties:Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs), dietitians, and other qualified healthcare professionals specializing in nutrition.
- Place of Service:Office, Home, Outpatient Hospital, other locations as permitted by payer.