Eating foods high in fiber can help your digestive system.

The Section of Gastroenterology and Nutrition at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, offers patients access to a multidisciplinary team of professionals to treat their gastrointestinal illness, including a registered dietitian.

Susan L. Mikolaitis, RD, LDN, CNSD, provides patients with comprehensive nutrition services to manage their gastrointestinal disease. Susan has more than 20 years' experience in medical nutrition therapy and sees patients with nutrition concerns relating to the following:

• Celiac disease
• Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's and ulcerative colitis)
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Short bowel syndrome
• Gastrointestinal dysmotility
• Irritable bowel syndrome

Additionally, Susan has a specialty certification in adult weight management from the American Dietetic Association and works in the area of medical and surgical weight loss. She also maintains a certification from the American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition and works with patients requiring tube feeding or intravenous nutritional support.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nutrition Services

• How do I schedule an appointment?
• Will my insurance pay for medical nutrition therapy?
• What will I need when contacting my insurance company?
• Can you call my insurance company to get approval?
• If my insurance company won't cover the services or I don't want to submit a claim, how much will it cost?

How do I schedule an appointment with the dietitian?

To see the dietitian, you must first obtain a prescription from your physician. To schedule an appointment once you have your prescription, please call our office at (312) 942-5861. We are open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. If your prescription does not mention return visits, you will need to obtain a new prescription every time you are seen. A form is included with this brochure to assist you and your doctor. You must have a completed, signed form or a doctor's prescription on the day of your visit or you will not be seen.

Will my insurance pay for medical nutrition therapy?

Unfortunately, dietitians are not considered providers by most insurance companies. Typically, insurance companies only cover nutrition services for diabetes and renal disease. Approximately 30 percent of insurance companies will reimburse you for medical nutrition therapy services. We strongly recommend that you call your insurance company prior to scheduling an appointment to determine if the visit will be covered. When you check in for your visit with the dietitian, you will be asked to sign a form stating that you understand our payment policy and that you agree to provide payment in full. We accept cash, check or credit cards. Medicaid does not cover medical nutrition therapy services.

What will I need when contacting my insurance company?

To determine whether your visit will be covered, call the customer service number listed on your insurance card. You may need to provide your insurance company with your diagnosis code (the code number for your specific illness) and a procedure code (the code number for the treatment you will receive, e.g., medical nutrition therapy). For your convenience, here are the most common diagnosis and procedure codes.

Procedure Codes:

• Medical nutrition therapy, initial appointment - 97802
• Medical nutrition therapy, follow-up appointment - 97803
• Medical nutrition therapy, group (two or more individuals) - 97804

Can you call my insurance company to get approval?

Unfortunately, our office is not staffed to make these calls. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask one of our staff.

If my insurance company won't cover the services or I don't want to submit a claim to my insurance company, how much will counseling cost?

Medical nutrition therapy is billed in 15-minute increments. Typically, a new patient appointment is 60 minutes, and a follow-up appointment is 30 minutes. Self-pay patients are eligible for a 50 percent discount. Patients may pay by cash, check or credit card. You are asked to pay your portion of the bill at the time of service. If we bill your insurance and they do not cover the visit, please call (312) 563-4577 to have the self-pay discount applied to your account. Copays, deductibles and coinsurance are excluded from the self-pay discount.

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