Did you know that a breast pump is now (as of January 1, 2013) considered a part of the Preventative Care Benefit on your insurance policy? Yep! That's right! And preventative care is covered at 100%.
It's all a part of the Affordable Care Act.
Now, as we're expecting our first daughter in May, I've started researching this extensively.
This is what I have found out so far:
- No matter what insurance company you have, a breast pump is considered a part of your preventative care benefit.
- No matter what insurance company you have, they will be confused and frustrating to talk to about this new change, lol! Several friends of mine have also reported this same problem, and since I experienced it as well, consider this a part of the frustration that comes with dealing with insurance claims and benefits.
- You'll need to find a durable medical supply company in your area, call them to see if they have the breast pump you want in stock, and get it from them.
- You'll need a prescription with "proper pregnancy diagnosis code(s)" from your doctor stating that a breast pump is medically necessary, and you'll have to take that in to the medical supply company you choose to use.
- You'll need to call your insurance to find out if a particular breast pump that you want is covered. (Currently, the only one not covered by our insurance is a hospital-grade breast pump).
Be prepared to really dig to find information that you need. It is not as simple as I was under the impression it would be. Make sure you have enough time set aside to deal with it, too. It's also a good idea to keep receipts, write down dates and times that you speak with your insurance company and whom you speak with, and to keep everything together in a file so that you can compare it all when your Explanation of Benefits (EOB) comes in the mail.
So, after getting all that information together, I hope it helps someone out there trying to use their benefit to help them and their baby!
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