Nutrition Policy Affects Your Job: What Are You Doing About It?
Whether or not you are involved in nutrition health policy, it is affecting your career. Take your profession by the reins by standing up for important nutrition issues at the Academy's 2015 Public Policy Workshop, June 7 to 9 in Washington, D.C. Join 500 of your fellow RDNs and DTRs to advance your leadership and communications skill set and advocate for critical health policies. Discounts are available for students and groups consisting of three or more people.
Learn More<http://mailer.eatright.org/t/34548/26226065/45509/40/>
RDNs Encouraged to Seize Opportunities Under New Oncology Care Models
As RDNs we already know the value we bring to care for oncology patients.  And now we have the potential opportunity to demonstrate that value to others by participating in an innovative new payment model being tested by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMS Innovation Center). The CMS Innovation Center is now soliciting applications from physician practices administering chemotherapy to participate in the Oncology Care Model<http://innovation.cms.gov/initiatives/Oncology-Care/> (OCM). RDNs working with physician group practices and solo practitioners that furnish cancer chemotherapy and are paid under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule should speak with these practices now to determine if they plan to apply to participate in OCM and to discuss how the RDN can bring value to the model.  Letters of Intent are due April 23 with Applications due June 18.

OCM is a 5-year model, beginning in Spring 2016, that combines a monthly per-beneficiary-per-month (PBPM) payment with the potential performance-based payment in an effort to financially incentivize high-quality, coordinated care. The CMS Innovation Center expects that this model will, among other things, heighten the focus on furnishing services that specifically improve the patient experience or health outcomes. OCM is multi-payer model that includes Medicare fee-for-service (OCM-FFS) and other payers such as commercial insurance plans or State Medicaid agencies working together to transform care for all patients living with cancer. PBPM payments provide an avenue to support RDN services in the short-term, with performance-based payments providing a secondary avenue. OCM will be looking at some outcome measures that RDNs impact, such as emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and hospital readmissions. Participating practices must adhere to national clinical practice guidelines, paving the way for the incorporation for nutrition services provided by RDNs.

Spread the word within your affiliate and DPG about this opportunity. Ask members who end up participating in OCM as well as other innovation models to contact Michelle Kuppich on the Nutrition Services Coverage team at [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>.  The Academy wants to highlight members who have been successful at integrating their services into new models of health care delivery and payment and learn from their experiences and efforts.

From Eat Right Weekly – On the Pulse

Academy Works to Expand Medicare Coverage of MNT
Academy members and staff met with officials from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to outline a potential path for the expansion of coverage for MNT to Medicare beneficiaries for a broad group of disease states and conditions. The Academy team included Alison Steiber, PhD, RD, LD, chief science officer; Marcy Kyle, RDN, LD, CDE, member of the Board of Directors; Anne Wolf, MS, RDN, chair of the Weight Management dietetic practice group; Jeanne Blankenship, MS, RDN, vice president for policy initiatives and advocacy; Marsha Schofield, MS, RD, LD, FAND, director of nutrition services coverage; and Pepin Tuma, director of regulatory affairs. They spoke with the CMS coverage team to advance a process for modification coverage of MNT for adults 65 and older. More robust coverage of nutrition counseling and interventions by qualified providers will help CMS achieve its Triple Aim of improved outcomes, improved care and lower costs.
Learn More<http://mailer.eatright.org/t/34548/26226065/45781/41/>


Judy Klavens-Giunta,RDN
Policy and Advocacy Leader
PHCN PG