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View Full Version : Any luck with insurance covering...?



ewpmsw
07-15-2010, 09:55 PM
Anyone had luck getting their insurance company to pay for or help with things like a breast pump, a night nurse, or post-partum doula? I'm calling ours tomorrow and am not sure where to start. My doula insists that things have changed since we had our first DC and that I should ask insurance again if they cover any of those things. I'm wondering if PPD would be a condition that warrants post-partum help in the form of a nurse or doula. ???

swissair81
07-15-2010, 09:59 PM
I've never had a night nurse or pp doula, so I don't know. Breast pumps are covered by a number of insurance companies. In any case, you won't lose anything by asking.

dukie41181
07-15-2010, 10:02 PM
My breastpump was covered but I never inquired regarding the others. Good luck!

truly scrumptious
07-15-2010, 10:24 PM
My breastpump was covered, but the doctor had to write me a prescription for it. Never tried for the others.

fumofu
07-16-2010, 05:13 AM
DH's insurance doesn't cover anything! Just the birth and hospital stay.

Tanya
07-16-2010, 01:13 PM
Our insurance gives a "discount" on a particular $500 breastpump, but that's it.

Otherwise, it just covers the birth, etc. And, that's nothing like it used to be. When I had my first child in 2003, I paid a $10 copay for the very first prental appointment and NOTHING after that. Those were the days...hahahaha

bostonsmama
07-16-2010, 02:51 PM
I'm sure this doesn't apply to you, but many military families (although it's not through their insurance) qualify for no-cost-to-them doula assistance during labor when a spouse is deployed, and Base Family Services divisions offer post-partum (in-home) visits if you meet certain conditions (income, deployment status, # of children, etc). There are also a host of free childbirth and breastfeeding prep classes with on-call lactation consultants.

Unless your child came home from the hosp w/ a medical condition, I know post-partum doulas are not covered. If you child needed special services, insurance would cover NP in-home visits, but not a house keeper/cook (which is what post-partum doulas do).

AnnieW625
07-18-2010, 12:19 AM
My insurance, Kaiser at the local hospital had a number of Medela or Ameda products at 20 too 25% off. It probably all depends on your plan too.

michellerw
07-18-2010, 01:21 PM
My insurance only covered a breast pump if DD was in the NICU and I needed to pump to feed her. It's best to call and inquire, though.

ewpmsw
07-18-2010, 02:51 PM
[QUOTE=bostonsmama;2791350]I'm sure this doesn't apply to you, but many military families (although it's not through their insurance) qualify for no-cost-to-them doula assistance during labor when a spouse is deployed, and Base Family Services divisions offer post-partum (in-home) visits if you meet certain conditions (income, deployment status, # of children, etc). There are also a host of free childbirth and breastfeeding prep classes with on-call lactation consultants.QUOTE]

Glad that you shared that info - Great to know those services are available to military families in some cases!!!

swissair81
07-18-2010, 03:10 PM
I bet a nurse would be covered before a doula. Since a doula is not a medical professional, I can imagine that medical insurances would balk at covering services provided by one. I don't think most insurances cover birth doulas either. Some of them won't even cover midwives (especially home birth midwives.)

swissair81
07-18-2010, 03:11 PM
I'm sure this doesn't apply to you, but many military families (although it's not through their insurance) qualify for no-cost-to-them doula assistance during labor when a spouse is deployed, and Base Family Services divisions offer post-partum (in-home) visits if you meet certain conditions (income, deployment status, # of children, etc). There are also a host of free childbirth and breastfeeding prep classes with on-call lactation consultants.

I'm really glad to hear that. Military families should get extra perks for their sacrifices.

brgnmom
07-19-2010, 04:35 PM
My former insurance covered the Medela breastpump with my doctor's prescription, along with a home-visit by a lactation consultant.

My new insurance doesn't have any additional benefits, except I have a zero-dollar copay for my OB visits. We do have to pay $500 for the L&D services, but we don't have to pay anything else for our stay at the hospital and nursing care.

peggy_morrison
07-20-2010, 10:18 AM
I had called my insurance asking about coverage for a doula and they seriously asked "What's a doula?" I knew at that point that it would not be covered BUT take a look at the following book "The Doula Guide to Birth"
http://www.amazon.com/Doula-Guide-Birth-Pregnant-ebook/dp/B001NLKZAK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1279635400&sr=8-3

First of all, it's a great read even if you don't plan on using a doula but second it gives you an example of how to go about getting your insurance to pay for the service after the birth. I plan on using their guide to have mine paid for. Doesn't hurt to try.

Good luck.

ewpmsw
07-20-2010, 08:56 PM
Thanks, everyone!!!

DrSally
07-20-2010, 10:36 PM
Insurance covered my pump with DS, but not DD (different ins). I couldn't be left alone after my postpartum hemmhorage, so needed to have a doula pp for 4 hours a day after DS. NEver thought to inquire about coverage.

swissair81
07-20-2010, 10:55 PM
Insurance covered my pump with DS, but not DD (different ins). I couldn't be left alone after my postpartum hemmhorage, so needed to have a doula pp for 4 hours a day after DS. NEver thought to inquire about coverage.

That must have been scary. How long did you need extra help for?

doberbrat
07-21-2010, 08:28 PM
my ins covered my pump - the LC at the hospital had the dr write me a rx and it was ordered from the hospital's supply store. I never even saw a bill.

DrSally
07-23-2010, 10:49 AM
That must have been scary. How long did you need extra help for?

Prob for 2 weeks, I had someone come in for 4 hours a day to help, so I could rest. DH was actually out of town when it happened a week after DS was born, in the middle of the night. I was just really tired from losing all that blood. I was down to 10 lbs less than pre preg weight in 2 weeks after giving birth. Prob from the blood loss.

ETA: Ironically, ins. did not cover a pump for DD and she was a premie. Sometimes that is something that will cause an ins. co to cover it.