A group of families is working to get legislation passed in South Dakota that would require insurance companies to cover elemental formulas like Neocate. With help from State Representative Todd Schlekeway, an act to provide health insurance coverage for elemental formulas was recently introduced in the state legislature.

The Kurtz family is one of many who would benefit from the economic relief the bill would bring. They have two children, Annie and Quincy, who both suffer from milk protein allergies. Keloland Television in Sioux Falls, South Dakota recently did a story on the parents’ legislative fight.

If the South Dakota legislature passes the bill, it will join other states like Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and most recently Texas, which have similar elemental formula legislation.

Effective January 1, a new bill requires insurance companies in Texas to reimburse families for amino acid-based formulas. Check out this news story about the new law from CBS 11 in Dallas, Texas: http://cli.gs/aG8z6E. It profiles the Stewart family whose son, Marcus, was born with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome and relies on Neocate formula for his nutrition needs.

If you want to introduce reimbursement legislation in your state, you can visit the Children’s MAGIC Web site and download the “Guidebook to Enacting Legislation,” which has everything you need to get started.

Be sure to keep us up-to-date on your efforts by posting a comment below, emailing us at foodallergyliving@shsna.com or connecting with us on Facebook.