(a)  On and after July 1, 2000, every health care service plan contract, except a specialized health care service plan contract, issued, amended, delivered, or renewed in this state that provides coverage for hospital, medical, or surgical expenses shall provide coverage for the testing and treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU) under the terms and conditions of the plan contract.

(b)  Coverage for treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU) shall include those formulas and special food products that are part of a diet prescribed by a licensed physician and managed by a health care professional in consultation with a physician who specializes in the treatment of metabolic disease and who participates in or is authorized by the plan, provided that the diet is deemed medically necessary to avert the development of serious physical or mental disabilities or to promote normal development or function as a consequence of phenylketonuria (PKU).

(c)  Coverage pursuant to this section is not required except to the extent that the cost of the necessary formulas and special food products exceeds the cost of a normal diet.

(d)  For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:

(1)  “Formula” means an enteral product or enteral products for use at home that are prescribed by a physician or nurse practitioner, or ordered by a registered dietician upon referral by a health care provider authorized to prescribe dietary treatments, as medically necessary for the treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU).

(2)  “Special food product” means a food product that is both of the following:

(A)  Prescribed by a physician or nurse practitioner for the treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU) and is consistent with the recommendations and best practices of qualified health professionals with expertise germane to, and experience in the treatment and care of, phenylketonuria (PKU). It does not include a food that is naturally low in protein, but may include a food product that is specially formulated to have less than one gram of protein per serving.

(B)  Used in place of normal food products, such as grocery store foods, used by the general population.

(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 541, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2000.)