Alva Health Blog
Run a nutrition practice that gets paid
Practical, no-fluff guides on insurance billing, documentation, and private-practice operations — written for registered dietitians.
Insurance Billing
Timely Filing Limits: The Deadline That Kills Nutrition Claims
Timely filing limits for dietitian claims: typical payer windows, why late filing is the one unfixable denial, and the simple system that prevents it.
Insurance BillingTelehealth Billing for Dietitians: Modifier 95, POS 10 vs. 02, and Payer Rules
How to bill virtual MNT sessions correctly: the modifier and place-of-service combinations payers want, licensure across state lines, payment parity, and the telehealth denials to avoid.
Insurance BillingSuperbill vs. Insurance Claims: Which Should Your Nutrition Practice Use?
Superbill vs insurance claims for dietitians: what each requires, who gets paid and when, patient cost differences, and how to run a hybrid nutrition practice.
Insurance BillingPrior Authorization for Nutrition Services: When You Need It and How to Get It
When MNT requires prior authorization, how dietitians request it, what goes on the claim, and why a no-auth denial usually can't be billed to the patient.
Insurance BillingPreventive vs. Medical Nutrition Benefits: The Distinction That Decides What You Get Paid
Preventive vs. medical nutrition benefits explained: how the same session routes to $0 coverage or a deductible-driven claim, and how to verify which.
Insurance BillingThe Payer Quoted Wrong Benefits: What to Do When Verification Fails You
The payer quoted wrong benefits and denied your nutrition claim anyway? The appeal ladder, verification evidence that wins, and how to prevent the next one.
Insurance BillingWhy Nutrition Insurance Claims Get Denied (and How to Fix Each One)
The 9 most common reasons MNT claims from dietitians get denied or rejected, how to fix each, and the pre-submission checks that prevent them entirely.
Insurance BillingBilling Medicare for MNT: The Complete Dietitian's Guide
Medicare MNT billing for dietitians: covered conditions, the 3-hour/2-hour rule, referral requirements, G0270/G0271, telehealth, and claim specifics.
Insurance BillingMedicare Advantage Plans: What Dietitians Need to Know Before Billing
How Medicare Advantage billing differs from traditional Medicare for dietitians: network contracts, plan-by-plan MNT benefits, claim routing, and denial traps.
Insurance BillingThe Complete Insurance Verification Call Script for Dietitians (Free)
The exact 21-question script to verify nutrition benefits before a first session — covering preventive vs. medical benefits, visit limits, telehealth, referrals, and cost-share — plus a log template. No email gate.
Insurance BillingInsurance Audits for Dietitians: What Triggers Them and How to Survive One
What triggers insurance audits for dietitians, what auditors check in your MNT records, and how to respond to records requests and recoupments without panic.
Insurance BillingICD-10 Codes for Dietitians: The Complete Reference (Z71.3, Z68, E-Codes and More)
The complete ICD-10 reference for registered dietitians: Z71.3, BMI Z68 codes, diabetes, obesity, CKD and lipid codes, plus the ordering rules that prevent denials.
Insurance BillingHow to Read an ERA/EOB as a Dietitian (and Post Payments Without the Headache)
A plain-English guide to remittances for RDs: allowed amounts, adjustment codes (CO-45, PR-1, CO-97), spotting underpayments, posting payments, and when a 'paid' claim still shorts you.
Insurance BillingHow to Bill Insurance as a Registered Dietitian (2026 Guide)
A step-by-step guide to insurance billing for private-practice RDs: credentialing, verifying benefits, coding sessions, submitting claims, and getting paid without denials.
Insurance BillingHow to Appeal a Denied Nutrition Claim (With a Letter Template)
Step-by-step appeal process for denied MNT claims: corrected claim vs. appeal, what to include, deadlines, escalation routes, and a copy-paste letter template.
Insurance BillingBilling Nutrition Counseling Alongside GLP-1 Care: The 2026 Opportunity
How dietitians bill MNT for GLP-1 patients: qualifying ICD-10 codes, coverage realities, prescriber partnerships, care-plan structure, and documentation.
Insurance BillingElectronic Eligibility Checks (270/271) vs. Phone Verification: What Each Actually Tells You
What 270/271 electronic eligibility checks return in seconds, what they miss for nutrition benefits, and the hybrid verification strategy dietitians should use.
Insurance BillingThe 8-Minute Rule for Dietitians: How to Count MNT Billing Units
How the 8-minute rule works for MNT codes 97802 and 97803: the full unit table, worked examples, what counts as billable time, and why rounding down costs you.
Insurance BillingHow Much Does Insurance Reimburse Dietitians? What Drives Your Rate
What insurance actually reimburses dietitians per session, the factors that set your rate, how to find your real fee schedules, and how to negotiate higher.
Insurance BillingCPT Codes for Dietitians: 97802, 97803, and 97804 Explained
The three MNT CPT codes every registered dietitian needs, how time-based units work, which ICD-10 codes to pair them with, and the payer quirks that cause denials.
Insurance BillingCopays, Coinsurance, and Deductibles: Collecting Patient Payments Without the Awkwardness
How dietitians collect copays, coinsurance, and deductibles without chasing balances: quote costs at booking, card-on-file policies, small-balance math.
Insurance BillingHow to Fill Out a CMS-1500 as a Dietitian (Box-by-Box Guide)
A box-by-box CMS-1500 guide for dietitians: referring provider in box 17, ICD-10 in box 21, service lines in box 24, and the errors that cause rejections.
Insurance BillingBilling Self-Funded (ERISA) Plans as a Dietitian: Why the Rules Change
Self-funded ERISA plans skip state nutrition mandates and follow federal appeal rules. How dietitians spot them during verification and bill them correctly.
Insurance BillingBilling Group Nutrition Sessions with CPT 97804: The Overlooked Revenue Stream
How CPT 97804 group MNT billing works: 30-minute units, per-hour revenue math, coverage caveats, per-participant documentation, and group ideas.
Documentation
SOAP Note Templates for Dietitians (with Examples)
Copy-paste SOAP note templates for initial and follow-up nutrition visits, a filled-in example, ADIME comparison, and the documentation details that protect your insurance claims.
DocumentationHow to Write PES Statements (With 25 Examples by Condition)
How to write PES statements that hold up: structure, NCP diagnosis domains, quality checks, and 25 example PES statements organized by condition.
DocumentationThe Nutrition Intake Form Clients Actually Complete (+ Full Template)
A copy-paste nutrition intake form template for dietitians — what to ask pre-visit, what to skip, and how digital delivery gets forms completed.
DocumentationPayer Documentation Requirements for Dietitians: What Gets Checked and When
Payer documentation requirements for dietitians: the baseline every payer checks, Medicare MNT specifics, records requests, and retention rules.
DocumentationCharting for Medical Necessity: Notes That Survive Payer Review
What medical necessity means for MNT charting, the elements payer reviewers check, a per-note necessity checklist, and phrases that help or hurt.
DocumentationADIME vs. SOAP Notes: Which Documentation Format Fits Your Nutrition Practice?
ADIME vs. SOAP notes for dietitians: section-by-section comparison with a same-visit example in each format, where each shines, and what payers actually require.
Software & Tools
The True Cost of the DIY Billing Stack: EHR + Scribe + Clearinghouse + Course + You
Itemize what the DIY insurance billing stack really costs a private-practice dietitian — subscriptions, error costs, and the 15-25 hours a month of your time.
Software & ToolsSimplePractice for Dietitians: What Works, What Doesn't
An honest SimplePractice review for dietitians — where its polish and mature claims pipeline shine, where nutrition-specific gaps like MNT coding show up, and who it fits.
Software & ToolsPractice Better + Claim.MD: What the Popular Stack Automates — and What Stays Manual
A factual look at the Practice Better + Claim.MD stack for dietitians — what the integration automates, which billing tasks stay manual, and the real time math.
Software & ToolsPractice Better Alternatives for Insurance-Based Dietitians (2026)
The best Practice Better alternatives for insurance-based dietitians — Healthie, SimplePractice, Kalix, and Alva compared by billing depth, with a migration checklist.
Software & ToolsHealthie vs. Practice Better vs. Alva: An Honest Comparison for RDs
Healthie vs. Practice Better vs. Alva compared honestly for dietitians — features, billing automation depth, pricing philosophy, and who should pick each platform.
Software & ToolsClearinghouses 101 for Dietitians: Claim.MD, Office Ally, Availity and How to Choose
What a clearinghouse actually does for dietitians, why claims die in rejection queues, and how Claim.MD, Office Ally, and Availity compare for a private practice RD.
Software & ToolsBest Practice Management Software for Dietitians (2026)
An honest comparison of practice management platforms for RDs — Practice Better, Healthie, SimplePractice, Kalix, AI scribes, and Alva — organized by how your practice actually runs.
Software & ToolsBest AI Scribes for Dietitians: Heidi, Twofold, and the Note-to-Claim Gap
An honest comparison of AI scribes for dietitians — what Heidi and Twofold do well, how to evaluate them, and the note-to-claim gap that insurance practices still pay for.
Software & ToolsAI Charting for Dietitians in 2026: From Session to Note to Paid Claim
What AI charting actually does well for RDs, where standalone scribes and ChatGPT fall short, HIPAA requirements, and why the note should flow straight into codes and claims.
Compliance & Telehealth
Telehealth Licensure for Dietitians: Practicing Across State Lines in 2026
How telehealth licensure works for dietitians in 2026: the patient-location rule, state categories, the Dietitian Licensure Compact, and a multi-state setup.
Compliance & TelehealthRecording Client Sessions Legally: Consent Rules Dietitians Need to Know
One-party vs. all-party consent states, telehealth wrinkles, HIPAA rules for session recordings, and a consent workflow dietitians can use with AI charting.
Compliance & TelehealthThe HIPAA-Compliant Tool Stack for a Solo Dietitian (Email, Video, Forms, AI)
Build a HIPAA-compliant tool stack for your solo nutrition practice: which email, video, forms, storage, and AI tools sign BAAs — and the common leaks to plug.
Compliance & TelehealthThe HIPAA Checklist for Solo Dietitians: Minimum Viable Compliance
A realistic HIPAA checklist for solo registered dietitians: BAAs, the annual risk assessment, device security, breach basics, and a printable 15-item list.
Practice Growth
How to Start a Private Practice as a Registered Dietitian: The Complete Roadmap
A phase-by-phase roadmap to starting a dietitian private practice: entity and NPI, credentialing timelines, tool stack, first clients, and first-year budget.
Practice GrowthDo You Need a $4,000 Reimbursement Course — or a System That Does the Work?
Insurance billing coaching programs for dietitians cost $79–$499/month or $4,000+ upfront. An honest breakdown of what you actually need to learn versus what software can now do for you.
Practice GrowthHow Much Do Private-Practice Dietitians Actually Make? The Honest Numbers
What private-practice dietitians actually make: honest revenue scenarios from part-time to full caseload, cash vs insurance, overhead, and the unpaid admin tax.
Practice GrowthHow to Get Physician Referrals as a Dietitian (+ Outreach Letter Templates)
How to get physician referrals as a dietitian: who to target, copy-paste outreach letter templates, and the report-back loop that keeps referrals coming.
Practice GrowthThe One-Page Business Plan for a Nutrition Private Practice (+ Template)
A one-page business plan template for dietitians in private practice: 9 blocks covering niche, offer, channels, unit economics, and 90-day priorities.
Practice GrowthLiability and Malpractice Insurance for Dietitians: What You Actually Need
What malpractice insurance dietitians actually need: professional vs. general vs. cyber liability, the $1M/$3M limits payers expect, and typical costs.
Practice GrowthHiring Your First Dietitian: Credentialing, Billing, and Scaling Under a Group
Hiring your first dietitian? The credentialing timeline, group NPI setup, W-2 vs 1099 questions, and ramp economics that decide whether the hire pays off.
Practice GrowthHow Many Clients Do You Need to Make $100k as a Dietitian? (Unit Economics)
The unit economics of a $100k dietitian private practice: revenue per session, sessions per client, overhead, and the exact caseload math by scenario.
Practice GrowthCash-Pay vs. Insurance-Based Nutrition Practice: The Real Math
Cash-pay vs. insurance for dietitians: rates, retention, admin load, and worked scenario math to decide which model — or hybrid — earns more.
Practice GrowthWhich Nutrition Niches Reimburse Best? Choosing a Specialty for an Insurance-Based Practice
The best nutrition niches for insurance reimbursement — diabetes, CKD, GLP-1 support, GI, eating disorders and more — compared honestly for RDs.
Credentialing
NPI Type 1 vs. Type 2 for Dietitians: When You Need an LLC and a Group NPI
NPI Type 1 vs Type 2 for dietitians explained: which one you need, when an LLC and group NPI make sense, and how mismatches cause claim denials.
CredentialingHow to Become a Medicare Provider as a Dietitian (PECOS Enrollment Walkthrough)
Medicare enrollment for dietitians, step by step: PECOS walkthrough, documents you need, participating vs. non-participating, revalidation, and what changes after approval.
CredentialingInsurance Credentialing for Dietitians: The Complete Step-by-Step (2026)
Insurance credentialing for dietitians, step by step: prerequisites, CAQH, choosing payers, the 60-120 day timeline, fee schedules, and common stalls.
CredentialingHow Long Does Credentialing Take? Realistic Timelines by Payer Type (and How to Speed It Up)
Realistic insurance credentialing timelines for dietitians: the 60–120 day range by payer type, what you can actually speed up, and red flags of a stalled application.
CredentialingShould You Pay a Credentialing Service? The $300-Per-Contract Question
Credentialing service vs. DIY for dietitians: what $300–350 per contract actually buys, honest DIY time estimates, a decision framework, and contract red flags.
CredentialingCredentialing Across State Lines: The Telehealth Dietitian's Guide
Multi-state credentialing for telehealth dietitians: licensure vs. payer contracts, why patient location governs, and the right order to set up a multi-state practice.
CredentialingCAQH ProView for Dietitians: Setup, Attestation, and the Errors That Stall Credentialing
A dietitian's guide to CAQH ProView: account setup, required documents, the 120-day attestation cycle, and the profile errors that silently stall credentialing.
Alva Health
Let Alva handle the admin
Alva automates charting, insurance claims, eligibility checks, and follow-ups for private-practice dietitians — so you get paid without the paperwork.
Start your 7-day free trial → Free for 7 days, then $99/month · Cancel anytime · HIPAA compliant