Bill Overview
Title: INFANT Act of 2022
Description: INFANT Act of 2022 This bill revises the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to require state agencies that use a competitive bidding system for infant formula contracts to award such contracts to at least two manufacturers. Additionally, it prohibits states from contracting more than 70% of their WIC infant formula from one manufacturer within a year.
Sponsors: Rep. Turner, Michael R. [R-OH-10]
Target Audience
Population: People who rely on the WIC program, including infants and young children
Estimated Size: 6000000
- The bill impacts the WIC program, which serves women, infants, and children.
- WIC serves millions of low-income women and children in the United States.
- Ensuring access to multiple sources of infant formula could improve nutrition and food security for infants relying on WIC.
- Globally, the impact is minimal since WIC is a U.S.-based program.
Reasoning
- The INFANT Act primarily impacts low-income families with infants who depend on the WIC program for affordable nutrition solutions. Given that there are about 6 million participants in the WIC program yearly, any changes in contract awards between formula manufacturers could potentially influence these families' access to diverse formula options.
- The availability of multiple formula manufacturers may help prevent shortages and increase competition, leading to potentially lower costs and improved formula quality. However, the impact may vary substantially across different demographics such as socioeconomic status, specific formula needs due to dietary restrictions, and geographical distribution.
- Within the budgetary limits, the focus will be primarily on those directly dependent on WIC for infant formula, but it's crucial to acknowledge that some WIC users in higher-income brackets or those not immediately facing formula shortages might experience a low impact.
- Considering such factors, simulated interviews reflect varied perspectives from deeply reliant users of WIC to those with negligible impact.
Simulated Interviews
Stay-at-home parent (Detroit, MI)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy is a relief for low-income families.
- Alternative formulas help when a preferred type is out of stock.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Teacher (Dallas, TX)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having more options is always preferable.
- I rarely face shortages, but it's good to have a backup.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Software Engineer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy might not affect me directly.
- It's comforting to know community resources might be improved.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
College Student (New York, NY)
Age: 22 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This provides peace of mind as a new parent.
- Formula options will be crucial soon.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Farmer (Rural Iowa)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's been really hard to find formula recently.
- This change is a necessity; the current situation is unsustainable.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
IT Specialist (Miami, FL)
Age: 46 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's a positive change generally.
- I don't see it influencing me personally.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Receptionist (Houston, TX)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Glad that there might be more formula options.
- It'll reduce stress during shopping.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Janitor (Chicago, IL)
Age: 38 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If it helps keep prices stable, that's great.
- Slightly concerned about changes in formula brands.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Unemployed (Philadelphia, PA)
Age: 25 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Good to have more choices as a new parent.
- Hoping for reduced prices as a result.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Nurse (Seattle, WA)
Age: 47 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I see the long-term health benefits.
- Key to improving infant health nationwide.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $25000000)
Year 2: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $25000000)
Year 3: $21000000 (Low: $16000000, High: $26000000)
Year 5: $22000000 (Low: $17000000, High: $27000000)
Year 10: $24000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $30000000)
Year 100: $30000000 (Low: $25000000, High: $40000000)
Key Considerations
- The impact on each state will vary based on the current structure and flexibility of their WIC contracts.
- Administrative and logistical changes will be required but are expected to stabilize after initial implementation.
- Potential for improved supply chain resilience against shortages.