Changes to the rules have made it nearly impossible for mothers in the Mid-South to find the devices.
New mothers throughout the Mid-South of the United States are struggling to be able to obtain the equipment that they require in order to be able to feed their babies, as breast pumps have become very hard to find as a result of new insurance rules.
These devices are selling out just as quickly as the latest mobile and electronic gadgets.
Breast pumps are machines that help mothers to be able to pump and store breast milk when they are nursing their babies. For many women, these devices are integral to being able to ensure that their babies receive the optimal possible nutrition during this critical stage in their lives. The Affordable Care Act has made it a requirement for insurance companies to provide these machines to policyholders. However, the insurers, themselves, have designed their own rules regarding who qualifies to receive one.
Since the start of the year when these insurance rules became effective, breast pumps have been in short supply.
Some mothers in that part of the country have been waiting for months to be able to obtain one of these devices through their insurers, without any luck. This includes the mothers who started months ahead of the birth of their babies and who have continued to try to obtain a breast pump since that time.
This is leading many to have to give up and either borrow a machine from a friend or family member (for those who have one available that way), to have to pay the hundreds of dollars that many of these devices cost when purchasing them out of pocket, or to have to give up and find an alternative method of feeding their babies, placing these children at risk of increased health problems and becoming uncomfortable for the women, as well.
Due to the breast pump shortage, many insurance companies are advising women to obtain a device from their hospitals. However, those medical care facilities don’t have the quantities that are required, either. The hope is that the shortage will soon start to wind down and that the devices will begin making their way back into the area in adequate supplies.