Nicole

I am a full time lawyer working 60-70 hour weeks with two little children at home (3 yo and 12 months). I travel for work and often attend meetings where I cannot eat any of the catered food. Even going to a restaurant I am extremely limited on what I can eat. Having the formula each morning gives me enough calories to get me through the late afternoon. The formula also provides many nutrients that my diet cannot provide, which has helped decrease my chronic headaches. Without the formula, traveling for work (or vacation) would be extremely challenging and more stressful and would potentially force me to switch careers or take a medical leave of absence. The formula is also the one time throughout the day I don’t have to analyze and plan ahead for my meal. The formula is a necessity for me and my health, and if I had to pay out of pocket, it would put a financial strain on my family. Coverage for this is crucial. Since December 2018, I have been battling with BCBS Illinois for coverage for my elemental formula. It was not until threatening to do a TV interview and emailing to schedule an interview with NBC 5 news, that it magically was covered this past week (after 6 months of weekly phone calls and additional documentation showing why coverage was necessary). BCBS IL apologized multiple times, and informed me that the pre-approval process was ultimately why it was getting denied. During this time, I’ve been getting samples from my doctor and paying out of pocket.