from the internet, and this is my understanding as well:
" Maternity and newborn care are together considered one of the 10 "essential
health benefits<http://cciio.cms.gov/resources/files/Files2/12162011/essential_health_benefits_bulletin.pdf>"
that most individual and small-group plans sold on the state-based health
insurance exchanges and the private market will be required to
offer<http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2011/12/essential-health-benefits12162011a.html>in
2014. (If the plans have grandfathered status under the law, they'll
be
exempt, however.) Declining coverage will not be an option.

This requirement will bring small-group and individual plans into line with
the coverage that's already required under the Pregnancy
Discrimination Act<http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/fs-preg.html>for
companies with 15 or more workers, says Adam
Sonfield <http://www.guttmacher.org/media/experts/sonfield.html>, a senior
public policy associate at the Guttmacher Institute, a research and policy
center on issues of sexual and reproductive health."
"Not offering maternity coverage when you cover other types of care is sex
discrimination," he says. "The Affordable Care Act is trying to close that
loophole."

don2key, you can see there are several caveats including size of company
and whether grandfathered in. But if those issues are not relevant for her
insurance, then I think this is discrimination and she could contact the
state insurance commissioner perhaps? Remember, too, they are not obligated
to a particular pump and some cover only manual pumps.

Laurie wheeler RN MN IBCLC

Mississippi USA

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