I am in El Paso, Texas and there is a Baby-Friendly hospital just  across the 
border in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.  A fairly reliable source has  told me (and 
others) that this hospital does not provide formula for babies;  families must 
bring their own if they don't intend to breastfeed.  Of  course this raises 
the question of what happens to those babies whose mother  intended to but 
cannot (i.e. medical event, sickness, etc) or babies in ICU  whose mother's are 
not pumping a full supply etc.  We are attempting to  arrange a tour of this 
hospital to see first hand what the answers are to these  questions. I'll let you 
know!
In the mean time, I think that the issues that have been discussed  
previously on this list (i.e. informed consent paperwork for formula use,  physician 
notification/orders if formula is to be used as a supplement etc.) are  all 
moving in the direction that Gerry speaks of where ABM is the exception  rather 
than the rule.
When the INSURANCE companies see the light on paying for the formula and  the 
increased medical costs associated then we will really see a change.  I  keep 
saying this and one of these days I will get on my bandwagon with the  
insurance companies, we need a Baby-Friendly Insurance Initiative so that the  
hospitals are told what their policies must be for the insurance companies to  
approve that facility and/or provider for their members (is that the correct  
word?).
Keep up the good fight ladies!  One HCP, store manager, newspaper  editor, 
news anchor, mother, father and baby at a time we will make our way up  this 
very steep mountain.
Christine Pillado
El Paso, Texas...where my friend was told to supplement her 24 hour  old with 
formula b/c of low blood sugar but was told she couldn't get  a pump to 
supplement with colostrum because that was like ordering medicine she  didn't 
need...AHHHHHHH
 
 
Gerry Welch <[log in to unmask]>
I see your logic. Formula is  currently billed as you say. My point is maybe 
it shouldn't be. I'm seeing  formula as medicine not food. A hospital may be 
reluctant to give up their  status quo. They get formula very cheap in return 
for us using so much. If  they went baby friendly the price the hospital pays 
for the formula would go  up. A hospital is not in the business to lose 
money. My way saves the  hospital money and encourages breastfeeding. A 
hospital wouldn't mind you  bringing in your own food if you ate a special 
food. I wish formula could be  seen as an unusual occurance in the hospital 
setting.
Make  sense?
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Paula M. R. Hart"  <[log in to unmask]>

When
> I am a patient in the hospital,  the cost of my food is included in my room 
> fee.  I have never been  charged for my meal, nor have I been asked to 
> bring food from home  (actually, I suspect the nurses would prefer that I 
> not bring food from  home).  I don't think my insurance is billed more or 
> less if I eat  their food or not.  Why would another patient be treated 
> different  from me just because that person is much younger?  I am all for 
>  breastfeeding, but I think that it does not make sense to treat different  
> patients differently as far as costs go.  Is there something I  don't get? 
> It wouldn't be the first time!
> At 02:11 PM 12/17/04  -0500, you wrote:
>>Why would the hospital have to pay? Insurance  should cover medically 
>>necessary formula and parents would have to  pay for or bring their own 
>>formula for not medically  warranted.
>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Phyllis Adamson"  
>><[log in to unmask]>
>>
>>>  but  when they found
>>>>out how much formula would cost the hospital  when they had to buy it
>>>>themselves they opted out of that  idea.
>


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