Jessica

If there were no issues with getting medical formulas and medical foods, the stress of worrying would go away. As a child, we had no medical coverage for formula, and so my parents had to pay out of pocket for me and my little sister. Money for medical food wasn’t even a thought when I was growing up. I had to postpone getting married until we had good insurance because we would not have been able to afford formula, let alone the food. I have always paid out of pocket completely for food, except in the last year. My insurance allows me to spend 500$ per month on food, which is amazing! Even though this exists, I have a fear that they could take it away next year, or the next year. I always have a worry about if I was to change jobs, that the next companies insurance would not be good enough. I always get anxious with EOB’s come back from insurance saying that I have a portion of the bill that I need to pay, which should never be the case. As a woman who has been pregnant twice and has breastfed, there should have never been a worry that I would have to go without protein vital to mine and my child’s growth and development. Having no doubt of coverage in the future would be so important for my physical and mental health. Having no worry about having to pay an outrageous amount of money to get food and formula needed for me to be at my most focused, healthy self would be one of the biggest blessings my family and I could receive. Currently, I get 100% paid for some medical formula options, and then $500 worth of medical food per month.

The Medical Nutrition Equity Act will provide key support for those Americans who rely on medical foods to survive and thrive.