Does WIC Cover Similac 360 Total Care? Louisiana and Exceptions

In almost every state, WIC does not cover Similac 360 Total Care. The product sits outside the standard infant formula contracts state WIC agencies hold with Abbott, so it will not ring up as a WIC-eligible item at checkout. Families who want this specific formula generally pay out of pocket, or ask a healthcare provider to submit medical documentation requesting it as an exception.

Why This Formula Falls Outside WIC

WIC uses a competitive bidding system. Each state contracts with a single infant formula manufacturer, and that manufacturer pays rebates on every can bought through the program.1Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. WIC’s Competitive Bidding Process for Infant Formula Is Highly Cost Effective Where Abbott holds the contract, participants get Similac-branded products; where Mead Johnson holds it, they get Enfamil.

Winning the contract does not put every product in a manufacturer’s lineup on the WIC list. States pick which specific formulas within the contracted brand they will authorize, and the USDA leaves that product selection to them.2USDA Food and Nutrition Administration. Requirements for Infant Formula Contracts Two Abbott states can approve different Similac products. Standard contracts typically cover older, lower-cost items like Similac Advance, Similac Sensitive, Similac Total Comfort, and Similac Soy Isomil. Similac 360 Total Care, a newer premium product, is usually not on that list.

Where Similac 360 Total Care Stands by State

Approved formula lists from more than a dozen states show the same pattern. A few examples:

Check your own state’s current approved formula list before assuming, because contracts and formularies change. If Similac 360 Total Care is not on that list, it will not be covered at the register.

Louisiana Is the One Exception, With Limits

Louisiana’s WIC Approved Formula List, dated May 2024, includes Similac Total Care 360 and Similac Total Care 360 Sensitive as standard contract formulas. Two limits matter. Only the ready-to-feed versions (32 oz. and 8 oz.) are approved, not powder. And ready-to-feed formula requires authorization from a Certified Professional Authority, which is generally granted only when the family has an unsafe water supply, no adequate refrigeration, or a caregiver who cannot mix powder correctly.12Louisiana WIC. Louisiana WIC Approved Formula List for Medical Providers

The Powder Problem Everywhere Else

Even where Similac 360 Total Care shows up in contract paperwork, the powder version is consistently missing. Abbott’s national rebate contract pricing sheet effective July 2024 lists rebate data for four 360 Total Care ready-to-feed SKUs and no powder products.13West Virginia DHHR. Abbott Rebate Contract Pricing Because most WIC families receive formula as powder, this effectively closes the door even in states that technically list the ready-to-feed versions.

Requesting It as a Medical Exception

If a provider believes an infant needs Similac 360 Total Care for a medical reason, most states have a documentation process. Steps vary, but the shape is consistent.

A physician or other authorized provider fills out a medical documentation form. Pennsylvania calls it a Formula Authorization Form.3PA WIC. PA WIC Formulary Guide for Healthcare Providers New Jersey uses the WIC-11, which requires the provider to identify a qualifying medical condition such as severe food allergies, gastrointestinal disorders, or failure to thrive, and to specify the formula, the daily amount, and the anticipated length of use.14New Jersey Department of Health. Medical Documentation for WIC Formula and Approved WIC Foods Maryland requires a provider with prescriptive authority to sign and include an ICD diagnostic code.15Maryland Department of Health. Medical Documentation Form

The form goes to the local WIC clinic, where a nutrition professional reviews it. Approval is not guaranteed, and documentation typically has to be renewed every one to three months. Preference for a premium product will not qualify. New Jersey’s policy specifically excludes “non-specific intolerance” and “participant preference” as grounds for exempt formula approval.14New Jersey Department of Health. Medical Documentation for WIC Formula and Approved WIC Foods

The 2022 Waivers Are No Longer in Effect

During the 2022 infant formula shortage, USDA emergency waivers let WIC participants buy non-contract formulas, and several states added Similac 360 Total Care to temporary substitution lists. Michigan listed it as an approved substitute when Similac Advance was unavailable in stores.16Michigan DHHS. Temporary Choices for Powder Formula Virginia allowed it through April 30, 2023, and then ended the temporary substitutions.17Virginia Department of Health. WIC Substitution List Effective March 2023

USDA issued unwinding guidance in February 2023, and by mid-2023 the agency had moved back to standard regulatory oversight.18National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Infant Formula Supply Chain Disruptions Those flexibilities are gone.

What Could Change the Answer

The single-manufacturer contract structure is what keeps most premium Similac products off WIC. The INFANT Act (H.R. 5759), introduced in October 2025, would require states to contract with two formula makers instead of one, which could widen the range of covered products. As of mid-2026 the bill has had no committee action and is estimated to have roughly a 1% chance of becoming law.19GovTrack. H.R. 5759: INFANT Act of 2025 For now, if you need Similac 360 Total Care, plan on paying for it yourself or on a medical exception request through your provider.