Free Pumps!

Tue Jul 24, 2012 1:58 pm

For those of you in the US, this is a nice piece of information. My midwife told me today that with the new healthcare law changes, all insurance companies have to cover breast pumps. You need to wait until you give birth and then your doc/midwife will write a prescription for it. This is exciting news because I just contacted my insurance company and they said that it would only be covered if me and the baby were separated. I'm going to return my $225 pump and wait until the baby is born!

Another fun freebie, she wrote me a prescription to get a back brace (those ones that you can buy to keep you in alignment). Now I do not need to spend my own money on that either!

As a side note, my little peanut is kicking up a storm now. At my 18 week checkup today, his/her HB was 152 and she said I'm fully popped....I feel fully popped!

Sarah

Tue Jul 24, 2012 2:07 pm

I remember a time when pumps referred to shoes.....

Anyways, thanks for the info! i will definitely call my insurance to check with them before buying anything.
Congrats on the healthy little wiggler, can you feel him/her yet? and what does she mean by fully popped?

Cannot wait until you tell us what it is, who should do some betting! I say girl!!!

Ludivine

Tue Jul 24, 2012 3:21 pm

Thanks for the info:) I will def look into it.

Me 36
Mike 32
A handful of chemicals/ early m/c since 12/2010
1 little Bean said goodbye 10/2011 @ 9 week

Emilie Grace born on 1/1/2013 beautiful and healthy:)

Tue Jul 24, 2012 3:28 pm

I'm kind of confused. It does cover it, or it covers it only if you are separated from the baby (so I would guess baby in NICU or employed)?

Mommy to twins
http://ifashley.blogspot.com
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Tue Jul 24, 2012 4:11 pm

WOW! That's great info, I just called my insurance company last week and they also told me they only covered it if I was sepereated from the baby.... I'm glad you shared that info, I will definitely be calling them back.

Btw, how does it work, they carry them in the pharmacy, or you go to a store with a voucher of some sort?

Tue Jul 24, 2012 4:24 pm

Just called my insurance company and th rep said it's not true. I hope she doesn't know what she is talking about because it would sure be a great help!

Tue Jul 24, 2012 6:51 pm

Ludivine, she means she's fully popped, like her belly has fully popped out and she's definitely showing! It's awesome huh?!

Anyways, I looked mine up on my insurance's website. I'm on my husband's insurance through his work. It's called Healthsmart (in case anyone else happens to have it) and they put this up on their website in February.

Breast Pumps and Lactation Supplies Now Qualify as Deductible Medical Expenses

On February 10, the IRS announced that breast pumps and supplies that assist lactation are medical care under §213(d) of the Internal Revenue Code because, like obstetric care, they are for purposes of affecting a structure or function of the body of lactating women. Therefore, if the remaining requirements of §213(a) are met, expenses paid for breast pumps and supplies that assist lactation are deductible medical expenses. Amounts reimbursed for these expenses under FSAs, Archer MSAs, HRAs, or HSAs will not be income to the taxpayer. Thus, the amounts are reimbursable, regardless of the existence of a medical condition.

I don't know what the remaining requirements are though. I'll probably have to go into my husband's job and ask the lady that handles all the insurance stuff about it, because I'm sure he wouldn't wanna do that for me, lol. Also because he'd probably forget anyway!

Tue Jul 24, 2012 9:55 pm

Kat- what that means is that if you participate in a health savings account or flex spending account through your employer then you can use what you have in that account to pay for a breast pump.

Mommy to twins
http://ifashley.blogspot.com
[/url

Wed Jul 25, 2012 12:12 am

Well, we don't do the flexible spending account thing. It seems unfair to me that if you don't use it, you lose it.

Wed Jul 25, 2012 9:16 am

I let my FSA go because last year I lost $500 because I didn't use it before Dec 31st, which seems very unfair. That was a bummer, so basically insurance doesn't cover the pump, but you can purchase one through yor FSA is what I'm gathering right?

Wed Jul 25, 2012 10:56 am

I also have my insurance through work (United Health Plan) and the Savings account. This is what they told me...Starting August 1, 2012 ALL insurance companies will cover breast pumps, but the catch is that you'll have to enroll in the plan AFTER Aug 1. For example my work policy was renewed on July 1 which means that no one in my job qualifies for breast pumps until next summer when we renew the policy once again. The only way I'll be able to get a discount will be if baby has to spent some time in the NICU or if I have to stay longer than baby in the hospital due to medical reasons. For DD I had medicaid and they paid for my pump (Ameda) because DD had to stay in NICU for 2 days after birth and then 8 more days in the hospital.

http://lbdf.lilypie.com/Bozcm4.png

Wed Jul 25, 2012 11:02 am

I have a pretty good insurance plan, and I just needed a prescription from my Dr., and I had to purchase from a specific place in town. My insurance covered 80% of the cost.

Breast pumps can be a huge expense, and its a shame that more insurance companies don't cover the cost.

Wed Jul 25, 2012 11:04 am

I don't have a FSA account I actually have a HSA which in my opinion works better because you don't give up your money. You don't have to use it and you take it with you where ever you go and if you manage to save $20k they allow you to use that money towards the purchase of a home without no penalties. Also the money that goes in the account is tax free.

http://lbdf.lilypie.com/Bozcm4.png

Wed Jul 25, 2012 11:11 am

I'm sure it just depends on your insurance plan. A NICU stay is a lot more expensive than a breast pump, so if that is the qualification for mine, I am going to definitely hope that my baby doesn't end up in the NICU and just buy my own, lol! My DS was in progressive care which is not as expensive as the NICU for only one night so we had to pay an additional co-pay for him outside of the birth plus about $90 so it was about $210 and the breast pump and I want is $225 at Target. I will check with my insurance just in case! We don't do the FSA because we do a dependent care for the outrageous amount of $$ we spend in daycare!

Mommy to twins
http://ifashley.blogspot.com
[/url

Wed Jul 25, 2012 1:19 pm

The way I understood it was that with this new law, breast pumps are covered (previously I was told that breast pumps are NOT covered by my insurance). My midwife seemed to be pretty excited about this change and said she'd take care of it for me. Worst case scenario I have to go buy one on my own after the baby is born. The way it works is that you cannot purchase it until you have a prescription from your doc/midwife and you cannot get the prescription until the baby is born but oh well.

As a side note to whomever asked, fully "popped" means that they no longer have to measure my uterus because it has completely popped out from my pelvic bone. I have quite the tummy right now but only up 8 lbs (yeah!).

Sarah

Wed Jul 25, 2012 9:13 pm

Did some research and a PP is correct, it goes into effect in new plans starting in August. My plan renews Jan 1 so I won't be eligible until then, but that's really close to my due date so I think I'll do a rental the first month (hospital grade pumps are amazing). Interesting!

Mommy to twins
http://ifashley.blogspot.com
[/url