SEN. SLOSSBERG HAILS SENATE VOTE TO LIFT CAP ON COVERAGE FOR SPECIALIZED FORMULA

Hartford – State Senator Gayle S. Slossberg (D-Milford) was joined by a majority of her Senate colleagues Wednesday to approve her initiative to expand insurance coverage for medically necessary specialized formulas. Current law requires coverage of these nutritional formulas for children up to 12 years old; Senator Slossberg co-sponsored this year’s legislation to eliminate that cap altogether.

Earlier this year the bill was approved in two separate legislative committees by wide margins and Wednesday’s Senate vote was 24 – 11. The bill now advances to the House of Representatives for its consideration and action.

“Metabolic disorders requiring these specialized formulas are complex and unpredictable and no one can accurately predict at what age – if ever – a person will outgrow the need for them,” Senator Slossberg said. “With that in mind, any arbitrary cap on the age at which coverage stops is cruel and unfair at best – on behalf of all the families that depend on these supplements and coverage for them, I’m delighted by Senate support for this bill.”

Senator Slossberg was among those who testified on behalf of this legislation at a formal public hearing in February. She said at the time the average monthly cost for specialized formulas can be as much as $1,000, which she said is an untenable surcharge for affected families that already pay insurance premiums.

“The sad truth is that residents who require specialized formulas are often simply unable to tolerate or digest regular foods and they literally depend upon these nutritional formulas for their day-to-day health and well-being, and I believe that is a responsibility of health insurance policies,” Senator Slossberg said. “My research suggests the vast majority of other states across the country require insurers to provide comparable coverage and I urge my counterparts in the House to have Connecticut join them with this initiative.”

“Families purchase health insurance with expectation that should they need lifesaving medicine, they will be covered,” Senator Slossberg continued. “The specialized formula these people need is life sustaining in that they won’t survive without it.”

“I’m grateful my colleagues understand this initiative is common sense in that we cannot allow the withholding of lifesaving medicine,” Senator Slossberg concluded. “We shouldn’t allow health insurance companies to prevent people from obtaining life-sustaining formula.”

The information in this post comes from State Sen. Gayle Slossberg