Did you know your insurance provider will cover a breast pump for you? Having a breast pump is essential if you plan to breastfeed since there is a good chance you won’t always be able to be with your child when they need to be fed. Therefore, you will want to have a good breast pump so that you can stock up that “liquid gold” for whenever it’s needed.
Personally, I use the electronic Medela Breast Pump provided by my insurance. The breast pump is really nice, but the best part is that I didn’t have to pay a thing. I want to offer a few tips to help you receive a breast pump that you’re satisfied with as well.
1. Call Your Insurance Provider
It is so important that you call your insurance provider firsthand to find out which breast pumps are covered by your insurance. Make the call even if you are told which breast pump you can get from someone you know with the same insurance. You want to be absolutely, positively sure that your insurance will cover the breast pump you choose, and the only way you know for sure is by calling them.
The two vital pieces of information you need to gather from your provider are which breast pumps are covered and how you can order one. I called my insurance provider three different times because I kept getting different information regarding how to order the pump. Make sure you are clear on the directions and feel free to call back if you need to.
2. Do Your Research
If your insurance provider covers a variety of breast pumps, you will need to decide which kind will be the best fit for you. It can be helpful to make a list of your top choices. But do not order any breast pump before knowing if that specific model will be covered. Some insurances only pay for a certain model and will not pay for a pump until you have your baby.
3. Call the Hospital
The first time I called my insurance provider, they told me the name of the brand that would be covered but did not tell me how to obtain it. So I then called that company, and they told me to browse through their catalog. I chose not to because I wanted to be sure it was covered, and I am so glad I didn’t! I then called the provider again, and they told me I needed a prescription from my doctor to obtain a free breast pump. When I talked to my doctor, I learned the office doesn’t do that, and I needed to call the insurance to find out if they just had a form my doctor could fill out. I played a phone game to discover what I needed to do, which left me pretty confused.
When I had my first child, the nurse asked me if I had a breast pump or if I needed her to write me a prescription. Since I was confused and had not yet ordered mine, I was so happy to find out I could still get one. It worked out for me, but it doesn’t mean it will for you. Therefore, I suggest calling the hospital to find out if they write prescriptions. If they do, just wait until you have your baby.
4. Go to an In-Network Provider
My insurance company gave me a list of in-network providers that I could go to, one of which was in a different city. I chose to go to one in my own city and my husband drove there with my prescription after I had our baby. I thought I needed to have everything ready before the baby arrived, but it was perfectly fine to get the breast pump afterwards. It is suggested to not offer a bottle until a good latch and feeding pattern is developed, so it really made no difference that I received the pump post childbirth.
You need to make sure you go to an in-network provider otherwise the pump won’t be covered. Again, call your insurance to be sure you know which places are considered “in-network.”
I am so happy I carefully waited before ordering a breast pump. I hope that these tips will help you learn which breast pumps your provider covers. They are expensive, and you want to be sure yours will be covered!
For more information, check out our Top 10 Breast Pump Reviews of 2018.
