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Nutritional Therapy and Nutritional Counseling
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont·VT · Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics +3 more·Newsletter
Effective date
Aug 1, 2026
We identified it
Jun 19, 2026
Summary
Blue Cross Vermont has implemented a new comprehensive medical policy for Medical Nutrition Therapy and Nutritional Counseling, effective August 1, 2026. The policy establishes detailed coverage criteria for chronic diseases, obesity, and overweight conditions with comorbidities, while requiring extensive documentation including SOAP notes, time tracking, and individualized treatment plans.
Action Required
By August 1, 2026: Providers must implement comprehensive documentation requirements for nutritional therapy services including detailed assessments (medical history, lab results, weight, waist circumference, food journals), individualized treatment plans with SMART goals, progress notes using SOAP format, and start/end time documentation for each visit. Update EMR templates to capture all required elements. Billing team must verify coverage criteria are met: chronic diseases where diet has therapeutic role, obesity in children/adults, or overweight adults with chronic disease.