Update: 1/15/26
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Dear ______________________,
I am writing to ask you to co-sponsor the bipartisan “Medical Foods and Formulas Access Act” (H.R. 5684 / S.3304). This legislation is critical to individuals who rely on medically necessary, specialized foods and formulas as their treatment.
Thousands of children and adults in our country live with digestive (i.e. gastrointestinal, liver or pancreatic disease) or inherited metabolic disorders (IMDs) that inhibit their bodies from digesting or metabolizing typical foods. When these conditions are left untreated, patients suffer avoidable medical complications, and the risks in pediatric populations are particularly profound. Specialized medical nutrition is standard-of-care therapy for these patients and is necessary to prevent debilitating, costly, and potentially fatal outcomes.
Medically-necessary nutrition typically must be ordered through a pharmacy or durable medical equipment company. Formula, even for an infant, can run $1500/month and low-protein modified foods are 4-5 times the cost of “normal” food. These costs put significant strain on individuals and families in the best of times. The formula shortages in 2022 had a profound impact on affected children and adults and underscore the essential nature of specialized formulas.
The bill would require coverage of “medically necessary food” for individuals who receive health coverage through Medicaid, CHIP, Medicare and FEHBP.
Many states have implemented some level of protection for patient who rely on medical nutrition, but state laws vary considerably. H.R. 5684 / S.3304 would create a federal floor of coverage and access.
In December 2016, Congress passed legislation that improved coverage for medical nutrition for military families enrolled in TRICARE. I ask that Congress build on this important precedent by passing H.R. 5684 /S.3304.
For more than a decade, members of the gastrointestinal and metabolic communities have fought tirelessly to enact this type of legislation. We have made some progress, but I need your help to ensure action on this legislation. I hope I can count on your co-sponsorship.
To learn more about the importance of this legislation, please visit nutritionequity.org.
Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,