Regence care manager connects Utah family to lifesaving, affordable care
In April 2025, Regence member Marie P. received an unexpected medical bill for $1,400.
Two of her children have phenylketonuria or PKU, a rare metabolic disorder in which their bodies don’t metabolize an amino acid in protein called phenylalanine.
People with PKU eat a low-protein diet and drink a daily specialized formula to provide proper nutrition throughout their lives. Untreated, PKU causes severe brain damage, intellectual disability and seizures.
“She became our angel”
The bill Marie faced? The monthly out-of-pocket cost for the formula her girls require. Without her knowledge, the specialized formula supplier had gone out-of-network. She appealed to Regence, which covered her bill.
But now she needed to find a new, in-network supplier who was contracted to supply her family’s specific medical formula.
“We knew we were going to have an ongoing problem because I order this specific medication every month, but I didn’t know who I was going to order it from,” says Marie. “This is where Kayla stepped in, and she became our angel.”
Roadblock after roadblock
Kayla Angiono, RN, BSN, CEN, is a registered nurse and a Regence care manager. The girls had less than one week’s supply of formula left in the house.
Angiono contacted more than 10 medical equipment suppliers, home health agencies and specialty pharmacies and found none in network within 200 miles of the family’s Utah home. Angiono worked with Regence Customer Service to expand the search, but came up empty.
Next, Angiono called formula manufacturers and asked for their distribution lists, looking for in-network options contracted to cover the specific formula. Finally, she located a medical supplier in Ohio who was in network, carried the specific formula the girls required and could ship it to the family.
Angiono confirmed with the girls’ dietitian that their provider could send the formula order and prescription to the Ohio supplier. As a backup, she arranged with the supplier to send sample formula packs to the dietitian in the event of a gap.
“Kayla went to bat for us,” says Marie. “It was incredible. She was able to find things that I wouldn’t have been able to do on my own.”
“It was roadblock after roadblock,” Marie adds. “But Kayla was amazing. She didn’t ever back down. When we reached a roadblock, she would say, ‘Let me follow up with you in three days.’ She always met her timeline. She was incredible at communication.”
A care advocate
In December 2025, Marie’s oldest daughter, Kaityn, turned 19. That triggered a change with the family’s secondary insurance carrier and, once again, Marie encountered difficulties with the medical supplier. The supplier’s customer service insisted that, while the business was in network with Regence, their contract excluded coverage for the formula.
“Marie was ping-ponging back and forth between the DME (durable medical equipment) company and Regence Customer Service trying to figure out where she could get the formula filled or if she was going to have to pay for it out of pocket,” says Angiono.
Angiono escalated it to the Regence provider team, which received confirmation from the supplier’s executive leadership that it wasn’t a contract exclusion, and the supplier would cover the formula.
Angiono even arranged with the supplier to ship the formula to Kaitlyn out of state so she could serve on her mission with the LDS church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).
“This is what I do”
Though the formula supplier issue was challenging, says Marie, working with Angiono was a positive experience, lessening a stressful load.
“As a mom, it’s mentally and emotionally exhausting because you’re tied right to it. It’s my kids. It’s the financial aspect. All of that. Having Kayla make those calls was incredible because it took out the emotional part for me and saved me so much time.”
At one point, Marie offered to make the calls herself. “But Kayla said, ‘Oh no, this is what I’m here for. This is what I do. It’s no burden at all. Let me make this phone call for you.’”
“It’s such a gift to have an advocate who is on my side and working for me,” says Marie.
How a care manager can help you
If you or a family member ever face a new health issue or need help with a complex one, our care managers—experienced registered nurses, behavioral health clinicians, social workers and pharmacists—are here to answer your questions and make sure you get the care you need.
We partner with you and your health care team to support a treatment plan based on your needs, support system and benefits. And we take a holistic view of your health, looking at how all the pieces of your care experience work together for you. We may even reach out to you proactively to offer our services.
Get extra support for your health
Regence care managers
- Offer support, information and resources
- Coordinate care among providers and help with transportation
- Answer questions about benefits and health conditions
- Make sure you’re getting the right services
- Help you navigate and manage a new diagnosis
- Help manage a complex or chronic condition
We can help with the heavy lifting of setting up care conversations and appointments—and we can provide recommendations to address any potential gaps in care. You can rest easy knowing we’re working behind the scenes as your advisor, coordinator and health system navigator.
Contact Regence Care Management
Care Management is here to help you manage your health with support and confidence. This service is available to most members at no cost to you. To get started with Care Management or ask a question, give us a call at 1-866-543-5765 or email CaseManagement@regence.com
