Senate bill S.8924 was introduced by Senator Seward. This bill would improve access to medical foods such as elemental formula to treat certain conditions such as eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases by amending existing legislation (“Hannah’s Law”) to strike language that specifies patients must have “failure to thrive” in order for elemental formula to be covered.
We need help from families living in New York to write a note of thanks to Assemblyman Stern and Senator Seward for introducing AB11043/S.8924 and encourage their continuing support to pass this legislation. Please send a copy of your letter to APFED so that we may follow up. Please send your letter by Tuesday, June 12.
Below is a sample of a thank you letter:
Dear Assemblyman Stern and Senator Seward,
As a ( FILL IN APPROPRIATE TITLE parent/care provider) for a child suffering from (FILL IN WHATEVER IS APPROPRIATE Eosinophilic disorders (EGIDS), Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES) multiple severe food protein allergies), I thank you for introducing AB11043 and S.8924 and encourage its passage in the strongest possible terms. This bill, an amendment to Hannah’s Law, removes the clause tying benefits coverage for elemental formula to a need for the diagnosis of failure to thrive and is absolutely necessary in providing these special patients with the most appropriate medical treatment available.
Elemental formula is a medically necessary, physician prescribed and appropriate treatment for many patients with EGIDS, FPIES and related conditions. A diagnosis of failure to thrive should not be used as a loophole by which insurance companies can decline coverage. These children often need medical nutrition to prevent onset of failure to thrive. Likewise, many children who do not have failure to thrive need medical nutrition to remain healthy and active and to develop properly due to extremely limited diets.
I encourage you in the strongest possible terms to pass AB11043 and S.8924 and ensure that these children are no longer denied the medical nutrition that they need to thrive or even survive based on the failure to thrive loophole.
Thank you for your time and attention. Should you need any further clarification of my position or the medical necessity of element formula patients like my child I am happy to assist you.
Thank you,