Medically Necessary Nutrition for Margaret

Margaret Whorton-Folsom (goes by Peggy); she is an employee of Aging Resources of Central Iowa. She has a commercial policy. It appears that United policies for larger groups do have this coverage but Aging Resources has only 17 employees.


She has stage IV stomach cancer. Right after she was diagnosed in June, she had a scan that showed the inoperable tumor took up her whole stomach. She had been unable to eat due to this and had dropped to 102 lbs. A J-tube (into the jejunum) was placed for the nutrition. She has done very well with it and now weighs 121; her usual weight is 125-130. She's been having chemo too, of course. The nutrition comes in 8 oz cartons and Peggy uses 5 a day. It goes into a bag that's attached to the tube. 


Peggy had been ordering this on a monthly basis. Every statement says "patient responsibility $0.00." When she went to reorder on Dec. 28, she was told that the charge was $2100/month and she owed for back charges of over $12,000. (They later said they could charge her $600/month.) 


When Peggy was trying to pursue what had happened she was told that "food" was not covered, and the nutrition is "food." We understand that Wellmark, Medicare, Medicaid, and the United Community Plan all cover the liquid nutrition. It should be covered. It's necessary for life. Legislation is needed requiring health insurance companies to cover medically necessary nutrition. 


Peggy's family and spouse Beth are in need of assistance to catch up on these bills that were placed in their lap. Their family realizes that these bills wont stop anytime soon but anything is helpful.




Please help donate to help their family. If you can't donate please pass on this campaign and shed light onto their situation. 

Thanks!