Hello Colleagues,

I wanted to gather your ideas and opinions regarding LC licensing. 

I live in Pennsylvania. In this state there is no way, as far as I have been
able to determine, to bill for LC services since we are not a licensed
profession. Clients seen in private practice rarely, if ever, can get
reimbursed for LC fees for services. I have heard of a few, but it required
a lot of work on the mother's part, appeals, etc. I provide services for a
local peds office (currently funded by a grant) but when the grant ends
those clients would not be able to get reimbursed for LC services as far as
anyone in the office knows. I am not knowledgeable on third party billing/
reimbursement but I have yet to find anyone who can tell me how to do this
successfully in PA. I have called the State Dept of Insurance and they don't
even know what an LC is. 

I have a meeting scheduled with my PA state senator at the end of the month
to discuss introducing legislation for LC licensing. One of the peds I work
for will attend the meeting with me to attest to the fact that mothers need
LC services and doctors cannot provide them due to constraints on time and
limited knowledge/skills in this area. 

I have reviewed the breastfeeding legislation Carolyn Maloney lists on her
website and as far as I can tell no other states have LC licensing
legislation. It looks like Virginia had a joint resolution to study the
feasibility of medical assistance paying for LC services, but I can't find
the results of that legislation.
<http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?941+fuh+HJ248+404875>
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?941+fuh+HJ248+404875

I would like to know if LC's are currently licensed in any state? Also, are
there states where LC's can get third party reimbursement without being
licensed and how is that done? I would also like any advice you have in your
collective wisdom regarding lobbying or political actions that would be
helpful. 

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Judy Gutowski, BA, IBCLC, RLC

Breastfeeding Matters

Western PA


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