After Monica Wickstrøm told about her huge spending on food, there have been many reactions, including political ones. The reason why the 56-year-old eats far more than others is that she has a very short intestine after several operations. Bård Hoksrud (Frp) is second deputy chairman of the health and care committee. He believes the minister should intervene quickly and ensure that it is possible to get support for food as medicine in special cases. – I hope it is possible to get a regulatory change. A change that allows her to get the extra food that health professionals say she needs. If the law has to be changed, we will get the matter to the Storting. This will not apply to many people in Norway, but to a few, says Hoksrud. WILL CHANGE REGULATIONS: Bård Hoksrud believes that it must be possible to get support for food as medicine. Photo: JOHN-ANDRE SAMUELSEN / JOHN-ANDRE SAMUELSEN Hoksrud says he has already raised this issue in the Storting. – If it had been medicine, there would have been no question. Then she had it. But since it’s food she needs, she doesn’t get that help. And may risk being thrown onto the street because she cannot afford to pay for all the food. It is completely undignified, says Hoksrud. SV’s deputy chairperson, Marian Hussein, believes that help must come quickly, comments that Monica needs help now and cannot wait for regulatory and legislative changes. – She has the right to receive a concrete and individual assessment from NAV based on the employee’s professional judgement. Hussein believes that social services must be based on solidarity generosity. – The community must compensate Monica for the extra costs that her illness causes her. She must live the most dignified life possible. I expect NAV to take that responsibility, she says to news. Deputy head of SV, Marian Hussein, believes that social services must be based on solidarity generosity. Photo: Javad M. Parsa / NT Provides basic allowance for extra expenses news has sent questions to two ministers about the issues in this case. In the Ministry of Health and Care, they state that the questions should instead be asked to the Ministry of Labor and Inclusion. The reason is that they are responsible for the National Insurance Act and the rules for basic allowance. From the Ministry of Labor and Inclusion, we receive the following answer from State Secretary Tomas Norvoll (Ap). State Secretary in the Ministry of Employment and Inclusion, Tomas Norvoll, does not wish to comment on individual cases. Photo: Kåre Riibe Ramskjell / news – I do not wish to comment on individual cases, but people who have necessary extra expenses due to a permanent illness can receive basic allowance. It is a tax-free benefit that can, among other things, be given to people who have an expensive diet due to a necessary special diet, Norvoll explains. People react differently to diets The Gastrointestinal Association believes that it is obvious that Monica Wickstrøm should receive financial support to cover the diet. – It is her treatment, in the same way as others who take medication for other illnesses, says general secretary Mads Johansson. He says that the association is aware that many people with gastrointestinal diseases experience improvement by making changes to their diet. – In 2019, we conducted a survey which showed that 82 per cent of those with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis experienced improvement from changing their diet. We know that many rely on a raw food-based diet, as Monica does. – Do you have any suggestions for changing the regulations? – If a medical specialist recommends a specific diet after testing foods with the patient, and this creates additional costs, this should be sufficient documentation to qualify for support from the state, Johansson believes. Today, it is required that the diet be generally recognized and scientifically documented. The problem is that diets are not straightforward and people react differently to diets, he adds. Wickstrøm must regularly take breaks to eat and drink in order to get enough food. Photo: Tom Ole Buaas Falling between two chairs Head of Nav in Tønsberg, Per Henning Johansen, says that they understand that Monica Wickstrøm has a difficult situation and would like more help from them. – Nav Tønsberg considers that the benefits she receives, both from the national insurance and social services, are within the applicable law and regulations. Nav is not responsible for covering costs beyond our limits in the event of special medical needs, he says. Nav leader Per Henning Johannesen says that the support Monica Wickstrøm receives is within the current law and regulations. Photo: petter melsom / news According to Johannesen, Wickstrøm receives financial social assistance to cover her needs for living and housing, in addition to benefits from the national insurance to cover additional costs related to her health situation. In addition, she receives extra social assistance based on the doctor’s certificate, which states that she has an extra high food budget due to her health situation. Moving out into the car, Wickstrøm nevertheless feels that she is caught between two chairs in the face of the public. She believes that she should receive health care through food as medicine, and not be forced to constantly apply for social assistance. – Social assistance means that I am deprived of other income and thus have a limited quality of life, she says. Monica Wickstrøm fears that she will have to move in the car to be able to keep her dogs. Photo: Roald Marker / news She fears that this will have consequences for her passion for dogs, where she has, among other things, been on the national team. – I’d rather move out in the car than give up the dogs. They are my whole life and were what kept me going during the difficult time after the operations. That I have to move out could unfortunately become the situation already this month, she says.
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