How To Get Free Lactation Consultant Services and a Free Breast Pump
If you are planning on breastfeeding, which is very important and healthy for your baby, then a breast pump is highly recommended. Though you might have time to breastfeed the natural way, there will always be situations which will require the assistance of a breast pump especially if you are a working mom. Breast pumps have been a great challenge, not in the use but in the purchase. Most of them retail at a high cost but the good news to all mamas is that if you have insurance, then you might be in a position to get one free.
Getting a Free Breast Pump
For women who have breastfed more than one kid with the help of a breast pump, then they can narrate all the good things about this pump. Most who used breast pumps before the Affordable Care Act might have dug deep into their pockets to get these important pumps. Today’s breastfeeding moms have an advantage because insurance companies are required to cover the purchase or the rental of breast pumps and at least a single visit to lactation consultants.
Though this is the case, the law does not specify the type of breast pump covered by insurance companies or the number of times a mother should visit a lactation consultant. This information and planning is entirely left to the insurance provider. This is what takes us to the most important step, which is getting the free breast pump through insurance companies.
Contact Your Insurance Provider
See if your insurance covers this pump!
The first and most important step is calling your insurance company. You can have a chat with their customer support team about their policy regarding breast pumps. They will provide all the relevant details including the type of breast pumps and medical supply companies they work with. You might also want to ask about their policy on lactation consultants and which ones they recommend. It is also important to find out how many visits to the lactation consultant are allowed by the policy.
About the pump, some insurance providers will allow you to purchase one then you can submit the documentation and anything else required for reimbursement. You will then just need to relax and wait for the check. You can also coordinate with a medical supplier and the insurance provider and this might mean that you will not be paying anything.
Choosing a Breast Pump Suppliers
There are breast pump suppliers that moms can directly work with. This means that the supplier will provide the breast pump and then submit the claims to the insurance provider on your behalf. This is quite convenient especially considering that there can be runarounds involved in the reimbursement process.
There are three major medical suppliers that you should keep in mind when getting breast pumps:
Edegepark – This supplier deals with medical supply delivery and have Ameda, TOMY and Medela breast pumps. Ordering requires filling a simple online form and then you will be contacted by a representative for the order completion.
Lucina Care – This supplier has specialized in breast feeding information and breast pump supply. Here, you will get top rated breast pumps from Philips Avent, Rumble Tuff, Nuk, Melodi, Lansinoh, and Hygeia. They have a website with lots of important details and information revolving around breast feeding and they also compare different pumps to assist in choosing the best one for your situation.
Byram Healthcare – This is a medical delivery company with some of the best breast pumps from different brands.
Things You Need to Ask your Insurance Provider
• The kind of breast pump you can get through their policy
• Whether you can work with a supplier directly and the suppliers that are included in the cover
• The brands and modes that are approved
• Whether you can submit for reimbursement if you already have a pump
• Whether you need approval before meeting with a lactation consultant or purchasing a breast pump
• When the appropriate time of getting the pump is and whether you have to wait for the baby’s birth
Remember that the laws will be interpreted differently by insurance providers and you need to know what is available for you under your cover.
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