Wondering if you can get a breast pump through your insurance? You’re in the right place! Here is everything you need to know about breast pump coverage in the United States!
A breast pump is an essential item for many mothers.
However, they can be rather expensive! I remember when I was pregnant with Jack that I decided to forgo even buying one because there was no way I could afford one on our meager college student budget.
Fortunately, I didn’t really ever need one, but that situation was different with Oliver. I didn’t intend to use a breast pump, but life doesn’t always go as planned, and I ended up needing one.
Thankfully, in the United States, most insurance companies are required to cover the cost of a breast pump. Here’s everything you need to know about getting a breast pump through your insurance.
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Does My Insurance Cover a Breast Pump?
If you live in the United States and are currently covered by insurance
What pumps are covered by insurance depend on who your insurance is through. They may provide you with a new one, or a rental pump, and it may be a manual or double. It’s important to double (or maybe triple) check when you are getting insurance to see what is offered.
You can always call your insurance office to make sure you have the right information. Some of them will allow you to get one before your baby is even born.
One thing to keep in mind is that if you are on Medicaid, you may or may not be able to get a breast pump. This varies by state, but I know that in Colorado, they will recommend you to the local WIC office. They may be able to loan you a breast pump (though, again, it depends on the office). Some of them will provide you with a manual pump, others may lend you an electric pump. It really just depends.
Does Medicaid Cover the Cost of a Breast Pump?
This depends on your state and their rules. In both the states I have lived in, Medicaid did not cover the cost of a breast pump. Instead, they would refer you to a local WIC office who could help with a pump.
Some WIC offices required that you work full-time in order to get an electric pump rental, others just lend them out based on availability.
You can talk with your state health department to learn about the coverage for pumps when you have Medicaid.
When Should I Buy a Breast Pump?
A lot of people wonder when they should get a breast pump. Most insurances will start to cover them before your baby is even born – if that’s the case, I would say get one then! Even if you aren’t sure if you will even need a pump, I promise, it’s better to have one “just in case” rather than having to scramble around and get one at the last minute.
What Pump Should I Get?
This will depend a lot on what your insurance covers and what you need the pump for. Make sure you check out our Pump Buying Guide, which goes over the different types of breast pumps and our recommendations in each category.
How to Get a Breast Pump Through Insurance
It is really quite easy to get a breast pump through insurance.
There are a lot of different websites out there that can help you order your pump, but the one that I find to be the most straight forward is Aeroflow. All you do is submit your information, they will let you know if you qualify, and once you’re approved, you can place an order directly from their website. They also have a pump upgrade program, which is kind of nice.
Even if you don’t qualify through insurance for some reason, Aeroflow typically offers the lowest price on breast pumps as well, so you can buy those directly through their store. Many moms recommend using Aeroflow, which is why I’m recommending it to you all. I found the other websites available to be too confusing.
Anyways, here’s the basic process, in case you are more of a visual learner 🙂
Go to Aeroflow.com and click on “Qualify Through Insurance.
On this page, you will fill out your contact information, as well as your insurance information.
You press submit, and a specialist will contact you by phone or email within a few days to discuss with your what your insurance offers and how to place an order.
Once coverage has been verified, Aeroflow contacts your doctor for a prescription so they can place the order.
And then your new breast pump will be on its way!
Aeroflow also offers breast pump accessories, storage supplies, and more, so you can get everything ready to go all at once
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Katie Clark is a Certified Lactation Educator, Certified Breastfeeding Specialist, and IBCLC student. She has helped thousands of mothers and families around the globe navigate breastfeeding challenges and questions since 2015. She has a passion for creating research-based, helpful breastfeeding education and helping parents find a way to make breastfeeding work for them. Katie is a mom of three little boys and lives in the great state of Colorado. She also has a degree in Communications with an emphasis in print journalism.
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