Friends,
The Texas Department of Health has proposed legislation regarding third
party reimbursement for lactation consultants.  The bill has been picked
up by
a Representative from, Mesquite, TX, which is at the eastern edge of
Dallas.

This information is so new that we do not have a House Bill number
assigned to the bill yet.  Here are some details about the
legislation.  Insurers will include both public and private, which
means that Medicaid covereage is included.  Over half the babies
born in Texas are covered by Medicaid.

Proposed Bill:
To provide health benefit plan coverage for the services of a
lactation consultant.

1) Lactation consultant means a person who is certified by the
International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE).

2) This bill would require lactation consultant reimbursement by any
health benefit plan that provides maternity benefits, including
benefits for childbirth, when requested by the enrollee during
pregnancy and for one year after the date of delivery of the
enrollee's child.

3) Benefits required under this article may be made subject to a
deductible, copayment or coinsurance requirement, which may not exceed
the deductible, copayment or coinsurance required by the health
benefit plan for any other maternity benefit.

I sent this email to every certified lactation consultant in
Texas for whom I have an email.  If you know of an lc who does not
have email, you may wish to share this information with her.  This
information may also be shared with doctors and other health care
providers who have an interest in the support of mothers and babies.

When this bill receives a bill number, I will post a URL where you can
keep track of this good news!
--
Jeanne Mitchell, RN, IBCLC, Austin, TX
http://www.flash.net/~xanth/home.htm
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