Breast pump: hospital or medical supplier?

ball.and.chain · May 2014

Wise STMs (or TTMs) and/or those who are ahead of me in this journey and/or PAL lurkers, I need your wisdom!

Insurance says I can get my breast pump from my hospital after delivery OR I can order it ahead of time from a medical equipment supplier. The former seems easier but I am concerned I won't get as many choices. I talked to a medical equipment supplier who told me a Medela breast pump (Pump In Style I think?) would be covered in full by insurance, I could pay $50 for an upgrade (PIS Advanced?) and $100 for a Freestyle. I want that damn Freestyle and am willing to pay more for it.

Anyone have any advice as to whether there is an advantage -- financial or otherwise -- to going through the hospital or the supplier? Is it worthwhile to have it ahead of time? Price difference? I'm confused.
:-/

Mom2anAngel2 · May 2014

I didn't get mine until DS was about a month old. I waited until we had a good routine and then I started to build a freezer stash. I did get a Medela PIS for free from my insurance, but ended up using a Ameda passed down from my sister (it had a closed system do I just had to get my own tubing). I felt that worked better for me. I don't have any advise on the Freestyle. Sorry.

[Deleted User] · May 2014

If you know you can get the one you want from the medical supplier, I'd go ahead and order it. At least that way you know you'll have it (or be getting it shortly after birth).

SuperKim13 · May 2014

I have not made any plans yet, and I plan to wait until after the LO arrives to see what will work best. I have a friend who rented one from the hospital with her first baby. She had a very difficult time in the beginning and needed the hospital grade pump to "pull her milk in." At least that was how she described it. So she got that one from the hospital. With her second baby, she got the pump from a medical supplier through insurance.

Are you in the Boston area? I think she recommended Cambridge Medical Supply. It is where I am planning to get my pump when the time comes.

dragonfly711 · May 2014

I cant order mine from the company until tomorrow, the insurance is making me wait a month to order. Not sure when I will receive mine. I am going to check to see if i can upgrade but I dont thik I can which I think is stupid since I would be the one paying the extra. I can get the Medela PIS and it does not even come w a bag or anything.

If you can get the one you want by paying a little more I would say go for it, that way you know you have it. Or you can call the hospital and see what you can get from them.

ball.and.chain · May 2014

SuperKim13 said:
Are you in the Boston area? I think she recommended Cambridge Medical Supply. It is where I am planning to get my pump when the time comes.

I am and I think that is the place I called.

I think I'm leaning toward just ordering from them and just being done with it.

mmhusted · May 2014

I was able to order the Free Style from a local Lactation Consulting Service/Store TO the hospital! It took a few days to get to the hospital. But that was ok as I just use the hospital's machine until it arrived. (my daughter was in the NICU for 6 weeks. So I started pumping shortly after her birth.) The freestyle was the same pump the hospital had, just not attached to a cart. Loved it!

haleyusf · May 2014

IMO, it's worth it to have in advance. You don't know when you're going to deliver so having it a couple weeks early is awesome. You can even use it for nipple stimulation to start labor if you're 40+ weeks. I had to have my mom run out to Target and buy me a breast pump the day after we came home from the hospital because I was expecting to be able to breastfeed and DS was terrified of my boobs. I ended up using it right away and pumped exclusively for several months, so well worth it.

ETA: Also, if you have it in advance, you can practice using it so that you're not fumbling the first time with milk spraying everywhere.

SuperKim13 · May 2014

ball.and.chain said:

SuperKim13 said:
Are you in the Boston area? I think she recommended Cambridge Medical Supply. It is where I am planning to get my pump when the time comes.
I am and I think that is the place I called.

I think I'm leaning toward just ordering from them and just being done with it.

Awesome, and if you don't mind, please let me know how it goes!

ball.and.chain · May 2014

Thank you everyone for the input! This was helpful.

CaitNMatt · May 2014

I just wanted to jump in bc when DD was born 3 yrs ago I didn't know that getting one through insurance was even an option!! I shelled out the $300 for the good medela one. I loved loved loved it and it became so useful later on when she decided to stop nursing and I was EP for a few months! I hope that you can find one that works and that you don't have to pay a ton!

dragonfly711 · May 2014

CaitNMatt said:
I just wanted to jump in bc when DD was born 3 yrs ago I didn't know that getting one through insurance was even an option!! I shelled out the $300 for the good medela one. I loved loved loved it and it became so useful later on when she decided to stop nursing and I was EP for a few months! I hope that you can find one that works and that you don't have to pay a ton!

Hello

They didn't start having breast pumps covered under insurance until about August 1,2012. So you might have just missed it lasr time. It is under the affordable care act that was put into place in 2010. ( you probably know this. Lol)

It is great that they actually do this now especially since breast pumps are so expensive. It is just too bad that uou have to have a choice and can't just pick what one you want. I guess something is better than nothing. I will take it.

I just ordered mine yesterday. Medela pis!!!!

Want a personalized experience?

Breast pump: hospital or medical supplier?

Re: Breast pump: hospital or medical supplier?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards