Free Kidney Stone Dietitian Appointments Covered By Insurance

If you’ve been told that what you eat can impact your risk for kidney stones, you might be wondering whether it’s possible to see a dietitian for help—and whether your insurance will pay for it. The good news? In many cases, insurance does cover nutrition counseling, often with zero out-of-pocket cost. In this post, I’ll walk you through how to check your insurance coverage and get started working with me.

Insurance Coverage for Kidney Stone Dietitians

Seeing a registered dietitian for kidney stone prevention is often covered by insurance. Under the Affordable Care Act, many insurance plans are required to cover preventative services—including medical nutrition therapy (MNT)—at 100% with no co-pay or deductible. That means you may be able to see a dietitian at no cost to you.

In-Network Insurance Plans

I’m in-network with the following insurers:

• Aetna
• Anthem/Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS)
• Cigna
• UnitedHealthcare (UHC)
• Medicare

I see patients via telehealth in the following states: California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, New York, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, USVI, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington.

How to Check Your Benefits

Insurance coverage varies by plan, so the best way to determine what your specific plan covers is to call the member services number on the back of your insurance card. Once you’re on the phone with a representative, ask them the following questions:

Provider Information

• Is Lauren Gleason in-network?
  • NPI: 1174244032
  • Tax ID: 921249258
• If not, is Kidney Foodie listed instead?
  • NPI: 1982317509
  • Tax ID: 921249258

Coverage for Nutrition Counseling

• Do I have coverage for medical nutrition therapy (MNT)? CPT codes to ask about:
  • 97802 (initial nutrition visit)
  • 97803 (follow-up nutrition visits)
• Do I have coverage for preventative nutrition counseling?
  • If yes, ask: Are there specific diagnoses required to qualify (e.g., high blood pressure, prediabetes, high cholesterol, overweight)?

Note: If your plan requires a qualifying diagnosis for coverage, you may need a signed referral or documentation from your doctor. Check your patient portal for visit summaries or a health conditions list. Lab results alone will not work.

• If preventative services are not covered, ask:
  • Which medical conditions are covered for nutrition counseling?
  • Do I need a physician referral?

Important for Medicare Patients: Medicare and most Medicare Advantage Plans only cover nutrition counseling for Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) or Diabetes, and a referral is required. If you only have kidney stones, insurance may not cover it unless CKD or diabetes is also diagnosed. If your doctor determines you have one of these conditions, they can submit a referral here:

• Kidney Foodie Referral Form: https://kidneyfoodie.com/kidney-foodie-referral-form/
• Fax referrals to: 404-868-8136

Other Key Questions to Ask

• Do I have a deductible to meet before insurance will pay?
• Do I have a co-pay or coinsurance?
• How many nutrition sessions are covered per year (or lifetime)?
• Are telehealth visits covered?

What If My Insurance Doesn’t Cover It?

If your plan doesn’t include coverage, I also offer self-pay options. Many people find that even a few sessions can make a big difference in managing kidney stones with confidence.

Ready to Get Started?

Once you have the details from your insurance, you can request your appointment with me directly here.

Still have questions? The BEST way to reach me is to sign up for my Kidney Stone Newsletter and simply reply to the first email.