In view of the difficulties that have been experienced getting insurance
companies to reimburse for pump rentals and LC services, it seems to me that a
coordinated strategy should be developed for convincing the insurers that it is
in their best interest to do so.  After all, someone has cited a study from
Kaiser in North Carolina showing that an average of $1400 in medical costs is
saved in the first year of a breastfed baby's life vs. the costs of a
formula-fed baby.  Even if it costs over $100 for pump rental and LC to save
the bf relationship for a mom and baby in trouble, it seems to me that it is
quite a bargain for the insurance company.  It also seems to me that the
insurers need to be convinced that breastfeeding is the norm, and that babies
and moms who can't breastfeed are suffering from a disease and/or injury that is
just as real as a broken leg or pneumonia.

The AAP recently approved the resolution: "Resolved, that the Academy advocate
that electrical breast pumps be made available through medical plans and third
party payers, and be it further Resolved, that the Academy recommend that time
be given to the mother by her employer during her work hours to use breast
pumps."  Couldn't ILCA and the AAP get together and lobby insurance companies
to cover pumps in their own interest.  At the same time, they could jointly
lobby state legislatures to require insurance companies to cover pump rentals.

Does anyone here have contacts with the lobbying arm of the AAP?  How about
arranging a meeting with ILCA's policymakers (some of whom are on Lactnet, no?)

Stirring the pot on an early Saturday morning,

J. Rachael Hamlet
Owner, Lactivist Mailing List
Author, The Breastfeeding Advocacy Page
http://www.clark.net/pub/activist/bfpage/bfpage.html