This is a topic that not many people think about. While it isn't a big factor in the grand scheme of things, some companies do provide some coverage for these diets. These diets are usually more expensive than your pet's usual diet.
What is a prescription diet? It is a diet usually available only from your veterinarian for a specific medical condition. There are several companies that manufacture prescription diets like Hills, Iams, Purina, and Royal Canin. Examples of these diets are K/D for kidney failure, S/D and S/O for dissolution of struvite stones, H/D for heart failure, etc. Studies have shown that some of these diets prolong a pet's life while also providing a better quality of life.
The following companies offer no coverage for these diets:
- Purina
- ASPCA/Petshealth
- Pet's Best
- VPI
- HealthyPaws
The reasoning for not covering the diets is that if your MD recommended a low salt diet or low fat diet, you would alter what you eat, but your health insurance policy wouldn't pay for it.
The following companies offer at least some coverage of these diets up to the per-incident, category, or annual maximums for the policy:
- PetFirst - standard plans don't cover prescription diets, but an optional rider can be added for $5 per month to cover these diets. This will cover 25% of the cost of a prescription food up to $250 annually.
- 24 PetWatch - covers 25% of the costs of prescription diets up to 6 months.
- Embrace - covers prescription foods in their new Wellness Rewards Plus program.
- PetPlan - covers any food that is prescribed for the dissolution of kidney/bladder stones for up to 6 months. Other prescription diets aren't covered.
- Trupanion - provides probably the broadest coverage. They will cover foods prescribed for chronic conditions e.g. kidney failure, heart failure, diabetes, allergies, etc. up to 25% of the cost of the food. Diets for weight loss aren't covered. They cover diets to dissolve stones while the patient is symptomatic, but they don't cover a maintenance diet after the stones are dissolved. The decision to provide long-term coverage for prescription diets is decided on a case by case basis depending on the condition being treated (whether it has resolved or is on-going) and in consultation with the veterinarian recommending the diet.
