How to Obtain an Insurance Covered Breast Pump

The Affordable Care Act provided a benefit mothers should know about. It mandated that insurance companies provide women with a breast pump with each pregnancy.  While this is a great benefit, many women do not know how to obtain the pump. Start with your insurance company. Call them and see what durable medical equipment providers are in their network.  Visit the provider websites and see what is covered by your plan. You should be able to get any pump you want, but there will be an upgrade charge to get something more than a basic pump.  Each provider will offer different pumps at different prices, so shop around.  Most will offer free shipping.  Do some research to see which pump will be right for you.  

You will need to have a prescription for your pump and can 0btain this at one of your prenatal visits. Aim to have your order placed online 6 weeks prior to your due date and give the script to the pump provider.  Often, there is a limit as to how early you can receive your pump, but 30 days prior to your due date is standard.  If you get all of this done before then, you will have the pump before your delivery and can cross that task off your list. If you wait until you get to the hospital to do all this, you will be making decisions on little sleep and your choices will be limited to what the equipment provider wants to give you.  

Remember that just because you have a pump, it doesn’t mean you have to use it! Spend the first weeks getting breastfeeding off to a good start, and pump only if you are uncomfortable. A baby with a correct latch is far better at establishing and maintaining a woman's milk supply than any pump. If you are having a hard time, the insurance pump is not appropriate for your situation. You will need a rental pump temporarily until things are going well, and then you can switch to your individual pump. Call HBHM Inc. if we can help!

Need help choosing which breast pump is right for you? We’ve put together a chart on our most popular pumps:

Healthy Babies, Happy Moms is a durable medical equipment provider for most insurance plans. To see our updated list of the insurance companies we work, with CLICK HERE.