How to Get a Free Breast Pump Through Your Insurance
No sound carries me back into the haze of new fatherhood like the rhythmic hum of a breast pump. What at first seemed like a modern torture device to me quickly became an important tool for allowing my daughter to breastfeed – it increased milk supply, decreased blood pressure, and allowed me to stockpile a freezer in case I had to return to work (or even escape altogether). from home, without a baby).
Breast was also one of my most expensive products for child care – the system that I have used, cost about $ 200. Much later, I realized that I could get a high quality pump for free through my insurance under the Affordable Care Act.
Apparently, many young parents are still unaware of these rights. In a new survey commissioned by Byram Healthcare, pregnant women were asked questions about their knowledge of the benefits of ACA to support breastfeeding and:
- 42 percent didn’t know breast pumps were paid for free
- 64 percent didn’t know that breastfeeding counseling was free of charge
- 61 percent were unaware that employers should provide mothers with breaks to express milk.
These provisions – which have contributed to the increase in breastfeeding rates in the US, studies have shown – several miracles are still available nowadays. But given that government support for breastfeeding is questionable, and at least one major insurer has cut breast pump payments , it would be wise to move quickly to gain access to current benefits. If you are expecting a baby, here’s what you need to do to get your breast pump for free with insurance:
Contact your insurance company
Some insurance companies will allow you to purchase your pump from a regular retailer and provide a reimbursement receipt, but it is more likely that you will need to use an in- network durable medical equipment (DME) provider such asYummy Mummy , Aeroflow, Edgepark Medical. Delivery , Lucinia or Byram Healthcare – to place an order. Check with your insurance company for a list of DMEs that work with your plan.
Other questions to ask your provider:
- What kind of medical records do you need? Do I need a doctor’s prescription? You may just need to open your insurance book to confirm that you are receiving maternity services.
- What is the maximum cost you will cover? Pump retail prices range from $ 16 for the basic manual model to $ 500 for the most technologically advanced models.
- When will you send my pump? It is a misconception that you have to wait 30 days before your baby arrives to order a breast pump with insurance. You can order it as soon as you know the due date, Byram Healthcare says, even if your insurance company doesn’t authorize shipment until it gets close to delivery.
- Do you pay for breastfeeding supplies such as bottles, flanges, storage bags, and extra tubing?
Choose your pump
While some of the newer breast pumps aren’t covered yet (like Willow ), many DMEs offer popular brands like Ameda Finesse, Evenflo Advanced, Lansinoh Signature Pro, Spectra S2 Plus, and Medela Pump In Style. When choosing a pump, the FDA has several guidelines .
A couple of questions to ask yourself: Where are you going to rock? (If you’re constantly on the go, you may not need the heaviest and most awkward model.) Will chest pads work for you? (Make sure you can replace the screens with a different size or texture if the standard ones don’t fit.)
In addition, some medical problems may require you to use a certain type of breast pump, although unfortunately, you probably won’t know the details until your baby is born. For the first few weeks of my daughter’s life, I needed a hospital-level system that my insurance covered.
Order a pump
Follow your insurer’s instructions for ordering a breast pump, whether through medical care equipment or by purchasing it from a store and filling out a reimbursement form. In any case, the process is not overly complicated and is worth taking advantage of.