Alberta.ca » Income and Employment Supports Policy Manual


AISH Program Policy

Published Date: January 01, 2024
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Benefits

Personal Benefits

Special Goods and Services

Special Diets

AUTHORITY
Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped Act, sections 3(1)(a) and 3.2; Schedule 1, section 7
Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped General Regulation, sections 2(c), 2.01(1)(d)(ii), 2.01(2)(b), and 8; Schedule 3, section 8
Applications and Appeals (Ministerial) Regulation, section 6(a)
MO-2018-21 - Personal Benefit Rates and Frequencies

INTENT

To assist clients or their dependent child with the cost of special diets required to address their specific medical condition(s).

POLICY

In order to receive a personal benefit, the eligibility criteria and conditions as outlined in the Personal Benefits section must be met.

A monthly financial benefit may be provided to assist an AISH client or their dependent child with the cost of additions or adjustments to their diets required to address their specific medical condition(s).

Substantiation
The client provides:

    • A letter from a physician, dietician or nurse explaining the medical condition, the type of diet required, and the duration that the special diet will be needed.

AISH Workers may request additional documentation if the AISH Worker deems it necessary.

Note
Some Special Diets have additional substantiation requirements. Please refer to the Special Diet Rate Table below for additional substantiation requirements.

Rates
The Special Diet Rate Table includes available special diets, monthly rates and restricted diet combinations. If more than one special diet is required, the combined rate may be issued unless otherwise stated in the table.

Special Diet Rate Table

Multiple Diet Limitations

If receiving...

Low Sodium ($24.00 per month)

Low Fat or Low Cholesterol 
($24.00 per month): may be prescribed for individuals diagnosed with heart problems or other medical conditions such as obesity.

Then not eligible for...

Heart Healthy,
Diabetic,
Renal Failure or Insufficiency

If receiving...

High Protein ($24.00 per month)

High or Low Potassium (
$24.00 per month): A high potassium diet may be prescribed for individuals diagnosed with Renal Tubular Acidosis, or imbalances in the levels of potassium. A Low Potassium special diet may be prescribed for individuals diagnosed with Hyperkalemia (high potassium).

Then not eligible for...

Renal Failure or Insufficiency

If receiving...

High Fiber ($24.00 per month)

High Calcium (
$24.00 per month): may be prescribed for individuals diagnosed with osteopenia, osteoporosis and/or osteoarthritis.

Lactose Free (
$24.00 per month): may be prescribed for individuals confirmed to be lactose intolerant.  Test results confirming lactose intolerance are required. Test result requirements for these special diets may be met by a medical interpretation of the results of an elimination diet.

May be added to other special diets

If receiving...

Pregnancy ($30.00 per month until birth): may be prescribed when the client is pregnant.  A letter from a physician is required confirming the pregnancy and indicating the estimated date of delivery.

Breast Feeding (
$35.00 per month up to 12 months): a verbal or written statement is required from the mother indicating she is breast feeding and how long she intends to do so.

May only receive one at a time

If receiving...

High Calorie ($42.00 per month): may be prescribed for individuals needing to consume more than 2,500 calories per day.

Then not eligible for...

Renal Failure or Insufficiency

If receiving...

High Calorie ($42.00 per month): may be prescribed for individuals needing to consume more than 2,500 calories per day.

AIDS or HIV (
$42.00 per month)

Hepatitis C (
$42.00 per month)

May only receive one at a time

If receiving...

Heart Healthy ($46.00 per month): may be prescribed for individuals diagnosed with high blood pressure (hypertension), arteriosclerosis (hardening and narrowing of the arteries), coronary artery disease or other vascular diseases; or to reduce the risks of heart attack and stroke associated with high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease and related conditions, such as obesity.

Diabetic (
$46.00 per month)

May only receive one at a time, and then not eligible for...

Low Sodium,
Low Fat,
Low Cholesterol,
Renal Failure or Insufficiency

If receiving...

Renal Failure or Insufficiency ($126.00 per month)

Then not eligible for...

High Calorie (over 2500 cal),
High Protein,
Hepatitis C,
High or Low Potassium,
Low Fat or Low Cholesterol,
Low Sodium,
Diabetic,
Heart Healthy

If receiving...

Milk Free ($59.00 per month): may be prescribed for individuals diagnosed with a milk allergy (an adverse immune reaction to the casein protein found in many dairy products).  Test results confirming casein allergy are required. Test result requirements for these special diets may be met by a medical interpretation of the results of an elimination diet.

May be added to other special diets

If receiving...

Celiac or Gluten Free ($91.00 per month): Test results confirming Gluten intolerance are required. Test result requirements for these special diets may be met by a medical interpretation of the results of an elimination diet.

May be added to other special diets