I am using today’s blog post to pass along an important plea for assistance from PA residents to help get important legislation passed.
URGENT REQUEST FOR PA FRIENDS & FAMILIES
DEALING WITH EOSINOPHILIC ESOPHAGITIS:
PA State Representative Dan Truitt has introduced a bill, the “PA Infant and Children's Health Initiative Act”, within the PA state legislature. This legislation would mandate that insurance companies cover the cost of elemental formula, an amino acid-based formula with no intact food proteins. Families dealing with Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) and other Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders (EGID) will understand how HUGE this is.
Many people with this disease react to so many foods that they can eat little to nothing and rely on this formula to keep them healthy. Since there is nothing in it for those with EoE / EGID to react to, use of this formula allows the GI tract to heal while also providing the patients (primarily children) with the nutrition they need. Some patients are able to drink it, although the taste makes it very difficult to do so. Some patients need enteral feeding tubes for the same formula. Unfortunately, many insurance companies do not cover the cost of this formula. For many families, the monthly cost of elemental formula can be equivalent to a mortgage payment.
This bill will mandate insurance companies to cover this for PA residents. I urge you, whether you have a child with an Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorder or not, PLEASE CONTACT your local representative and urge him or her to please co-sponsor this bill. You can find your representative's contact info here: www.legis.state.pa.us
Please, share this information and send this request to your family and friends. There is only a week to find 7 additional PA representatives to co-sponsor so this bill will move along to the state senate. Below is a sample of a letter that you can use to write to your state representative. If you do choose to get involved, those of us in the Eosinophilic Community (patients and their families) thank you very much.
Dear (insert the name of your representative):
I urge you to support the PA Infant and Children's Health Initiative Act, introduced by State Representative Dan Truitt, providing coverage and reimbursement for amino acid/elemental based formulas regardless of delivery method. Amino acid/Elemental formula is the most effective treatment as proven by medical research. Insurance coverage will have a direct and immediate impact on improving the quality of life of families living in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Thank you for supporting our family and helping all children living with these debilitating diseases.
(or Thank you for supporting families who suffer from these debilitating diseases.)
