Martha has written a great letter to insurance carriers to help thedm
understand the need to cover lactation care and services. However, we should
also consider another letter to employers. Close to 70% of mothers in the US
received health insurance from their employer or their spouse's employer.
Employers are not required to offer health coverage at all, but do so as a
benefit of working at the company. Employers negotiate contracts with health
insurers for what they wish to offer to employees. Some insurance carriers
cover lactation services but if the employer has not chosen this as part of
the health benefits then it is NOT covered. If the employer is self insured,
they still may not offer lactation services as they perceive it as an added
benefit.

Women need to request that their employer include lactation services as a
covered benefit. We as health care professionals need to contact employers
also to help them understand the importance of offering this as a benefit.
Until employers include lactation services in their benefits package,
insurance companies remain unable to cover this service under negotiated
contracts.

Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC
Weston, MA

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