Using Insurance Billing for Your New Breast Pump October 27, 2015 15:37

Breastfeeding is a great way to help your baby get the nutrients he or she needs, but circumstances aren’t always ideal to breastfeed your baby. If you’re going back to work soon after having your baby, your baby is premature, your milk supply hasn’t come in yet, or there are other issues, purchasing a breast pump is necessary.

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, you can use insurance billing for purchasing breast pumps in Seattle or wherever you live. In order to do this, you need to take the following steps:

  1. Make sure that your plan is covered by the Affordable Care Act. If your insurance policy started before March 23, 2010, you may not be eligible to receive a breast pump.
  2. Get a copy of your benefits to review exactly what is included. Find out what breastfeeding-related benefits are offered, the types of pumps that are included, the brands that are included, suppliers that you have to use, whether you can get a manual or electric pump, and whether or not you’ll need a prescription or preauthorization to get one. 
  3. Contact customer service if you have any other questions that you would like to ask. If they don’t offer the products that you want to use, find out whether they would cover part of the cost or reimburse you for what you want.
  4. Go to your doctor to get a prescription or preauthorization for a breast pump. Some insurance companies will accept it only if you have a condition, such as problems with your milk supply, your child is premature, or your child has a medical condition that makes it difficult to breast feed. For this reason, many companies will make you wait until the baby is born before you can order.
  5. Contact the Durable Medical Equipment (DME) supplier that your insurance company uses to order the type that you want to use.

    Breastfeeding has been known to be beneficial to the health of both the mother and baby, which is why it’s considered a preventive service for insurance companies. Use these steps to find out whether or not insurance billing can help you get a breast pump for you to use for your baby.