How to Order an Insurance Covered Medela Breast Pump
Pregnancy is the exciting commencement of your transition into parenthood. You’ll need to modify your habits to encourage a healthy pregnancy, start brainstorming names, and prepare yourself for many new milestones. The first time you hear your baby’s heartbeat, feel their kicks, and see their face on the ultrasound will be forever cemented into your memory and create even more anticipation for the big day. You’ll also have the opportunity to monitor their growth, introduce them to your voice and favorite music, and prepare your home for their arrival.
Pregnancy is filled with memorable moments and emotions, but it’s often paired with a constantly evolving to-do list and filled with choices to be made. One of the most important choices is whether you’re going to breastfeed. While it’s a personal decision, breastfeeding is recommended by doctors all over the world. It’s the best way to help support your baby’s development and provide essential nutrients for them to grow mentally, emotionally, and physically. Regardless of your schedule, breastfeeding is attainable and can be supplemented with breast pumping. To help you navigate your journey and avoid unnecessary spending, we’ll go over how to order an insurance covered Medela breast pump.
The Importance of Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is the best way to ensure your baby is getting all of the nutrients and vitamins they need for development. When you nurse, you increase these benefits by providing skin-to-skin contact, thus strengthening the bond between mother and baby and boosting emotional secureness in your newborn. The properties in breast milk can help fortify your baby’s immune system and reduce the likelihood of your child developing asthma, childhood obesity, certain infections, and respiratory diseases. Breastfeeding has also been shown to lower the risks of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and improve overall sleeping habits.
The beginning of your breastfeeding journey provides your newborn with rich, nutrient-dense colostrum. There’s a reason that this is referred to as liquid gold as it’s extremely high in protein, fat-soluble vitamins, immunoglobulins, and minerals. Colostrum also functions as a sort of organic vaccine, facilitating the circulation of antibodies between mom and baby. Colostrum is packed with white cells that fight disease-causing bacteria and viruses. It also helps develop your baby’s gastrointestinal and digestive systems. Colostrum only lasts a few days, but ongoing breastfeeding provides amazing benefits to developing babies.
Benefits of Using a Breast Pump to Supplement Nursing
For the biggest impact, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of their life with continued breastfeeding—while introducing appropriate complimentary foods—for 1 year or longer. However, it’s important to note that exclusively breastfeeding your baby includes the act of feeding your baby with a bottle of expelled breast milk. You don’t have to feed your baby directly from your breast to reap the benefits of breast milk. When you supplement nursing with breast pumping, you’ll be able to build a milk supply that can be fed to your baby when you’re busy or away from home. This is especially important if you’re a working mom or even if you just need a little break. Breast pumping allows you to regain a degree of autonomy without harming your baby’s development. It’s also beneficial in relieving engorgement and avoiding discomfort from nursing while your baby is teething. For more resources about breastfeeding and breast pumping, or if you have any questions, talk to your doctor or pediatrician.
Important Information About the Affordable Care Act
There is one problem when preparing to breast pump: the equipment is expensive. Many families don’t have the extra money to purchase a breast pump out of pocket and therefore, end up resorting to formula when they can’t nurse. Thankfully, due to the inherent benefits of breast milk, the Affordable Care Act includes amendments that allow you to receive a breast pump through insurance.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a health care reform law that was enacted in March 2010 in an effort to make affordable health care more available, expand the Medicaid program, and support innovative medical care methods. Due to scientifically-backed research regarding the health and development benefits of breast milk, law makers made it a legal requirement that health insurance providers must offer plans that cover breastfeeding support, counseling, and certain equipment throughout the duration of breastfeeding. Since breast pumps help to facilitate the proven health benefits of breast milk, they’re classified as durable medical equipment (DME). This entitles all new or expecting mothers to receive an insurance covered breast pump with zero out of pocket costs.
The Medela Breast Pump Story
While there are several different breast pump manufacturers on the market, Medela breast pumps are a favorite amongst new mothers everywhere. Medela was founded in 1961 in Switzerland and has been a dedicated advocate of breastfeeding moms for over 50 years. Through intensive dialogue and research, Medela is committed to continually improving the breast pumping experience. They’re driven by the fact that breast milk is life-giving and life-changing and want to provide mothers with the opportunity to successfully supply breast milk to their baby for as long as they choose.
Choosing Your Medela Breast Pump
Medela has a wide variety of nursing and pumping products that were created to help improve the efficiency and comfort of breast pumping for new mothers. Some of the most popular breast pumps they offer include the Medela Pump in Style® with MaxFlow™ Double Electric Breast Pump, the Medela Swing Maxi™ Double Electric Breast Pump, and the Medela Freestyle Flex™ Double Electric Connected Breast Pump.
Medela Pump in Style® with MaxFlow™ Double Electric Breast Pump
The Medela Pump in Style® with MaxFlow™ is a double electric breast pump that’s designed to make breast pumping easier and more efficient. It provides hospital grade performance with 2-phase expression technology that mimics a baby’s natural sucking rhythm. The Pump in Style® with MaxFlow™ breast pump has been shown to remove 11.8% more milk per minute and is equipped with intuitive controls for ease of use. It’s a closed system made using BPA-free materials and includes a battery pack, breast shield connectors, two 5 oz. bottles with lids, two different sizes of breast shields, complete tubing, and a power adaptor.
Medela Swing Maxi™ Double Electric Breast Pump
The Medela Swing Maxi™ is a compact double electric breast pump that was designed to improve mobility for mothers on the go. It includes a 1.5-hour rechargeable battery that lasts up to six pumping sessions with intuitive controls, a backpack with integrated cooler, two 5 oz. bottles with lids, bottle stands, breast shield connectors with membranes, different sized breast shields, a USB charging cable and power adapter, and the complete tubing. The Swing Maxi™ creates sound that’s less than 45 dB, allowing for maximum expression with minimal noise.
Medela Freestyle Flex™ Double Electric Connected Breast Pump
The Medela Freestyle Flex™ is a double electric breast pump that’s designed for moms who pump several times a day. It’s a great option for those living an active lifestyle and never sacrifices pumping performance. The Freestyle Flex™ weighs less than one pound and fits easily into a purse or breast pump bag. It also comes equipped with Bluetooth® connectivity to the MyMedela® app so that you can easily track and record pumping sessions over time. With a compact size, rechargeable battery, and reliable closed system with overflow protection, you can maximize your breast pumping sessions wherever you are. This pump comes with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, different sizes of breast shields, breast shield connectors, two 5 oz. bottles with lids, bottle stands, complete tubing, a carrying bag, a cooler bag with a cooling element, and a power adaptor.
Ordering a Medela Breast Pump Through Insurance
New and expecting mothers are eligible to order a Medela breast pump through several insurance providers including, but not limited to, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, United Healthcare, Cigna, and more. To make this process as easy as possible, Byram Healthcare is here to help. Byram Healthcare is a leading medical supply company that works to provide new and expecting mothers with all of the educational materials, support, and supplies they need to excel in pregnancy and throughout parenthood. Using our easy, three-step ordering process, new mothers can order their insurance covered breast pump today. Byram Healthcare works with both providers and manufacturers to connect new and expecting mothers with the perfect breast pump for their needs. To get started, simply browse our selection of breast pumps, and begin your order. If you have any insurance-related questions or concerns, contact one of the breast pump experts at Byram Healthcare.
