The WI State BF Coalition is in the middle of drafting a position
paper on BF to send to Insurance companies, HMOs, PPOs, etc. in
support of reimbursement for BF services.  This document is in
it's 6th draft and is near being done.  We have been working on
it for 18 months.  It includes benefits of BF;  responsibilities
of consumers, health care providers and third party payers;
references supporting the position paper;  and a table showing
cost savings in WI, based on WI costs for BF as it relates to
otitis media, bronchitis, gastroenteritis, allergies, asthma,
Type I diabetes and breast cancer.  This isn't ready for
publication yet, and I will let you know when the final document
is ready, but in the meantime, this is what we estimated
(actually probably conservatively) for WI.  It is based on
incidence rates and costs in WI and potential reductions and
decreases in incidence attributable to BF - all documented.

Acute Otitis media - $4,645,250/yr
Bronchitis - $437,120/yr
Gastroenteritis - $6,699,600/yr
Allergies - $262,440/yr
Asthma - $758,934/yr
Type I Diabetes (birth to 18 yrs) - $578,500/yr
Breast Cancer - $17,070,000/yr
TOTAL - $30,984,432.

Hope this is helpful to someone.  Theresa Gutsch, MS, RD, CLE,
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