Frequently Asked
Questions
MATRIARCH HEALTH SUPPLY
FAQs for our Breast Pumps and
Compression Stockings in Texas
If you have decided to breastfeed your child, you probably have many questions. Below, we have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions about our breast pumps in Texas.
You may also have questions about compression stockings. Below, we have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions about our breast pumps and compression stockings. Breastfeeding is a natural and healthy way to feed babies, building their immune system and preventing infant illnesses. It can also provide developmental benefits and essential bonding time. Matriarch Women’s Health Supply wants to aid mothers who have chosen this feeding method by providing breast pumps covered by insurance in Texas. Most of the pumps that we offer are also Medicaid-compliant.
Read the FAQ below, and if we didn’t answer your question, give us a call at (210)591-1818.
Will My Insurance Cover My Breast Pump?
In almost all cases, Yes. There are so many medical benefits of breast feeding that have been recently discovered and are still being discovered. Breast feeding is classified as a preventative treatment under the Affordable Health Care Act. This means it would be better for insurance companies to cover a device that builds up your baby’s immune system, verses covering the treatment of a disease your baby may develop from the results of not having been breast fed. Previous generations of moms in our American culture were told that the natural way of feeding their babies is outdated. We are presently experiencing a natural and organic movement, mainly due to the fact, we are realizing we had it right the first time. We had it right before imitation milk, processed food, etc., etc.
Because of this recent trend and medical benefit discoveries, the Affordable Health Care Act requires commercial and government insurance plans to cover breast pumps. We are hoping no new future policies will change these benefits that our Texas moms and babies need for a healthy future. Most Texas women know the financial burden a Texas Matriarch Mom must face during pregnancy, especially single Moms. The breast pumps we provide could only be purchased through the retail market just five years ago. It would have cost a Texas pregnant mom-to-be anywhere between $200 to $350 for the brands of breast pumps we carry. Now that the ACA requires beast pumps to be a covered item, almost all of our Texas Matriarch Moms can get their breast pumps covered through their commercial insurance or Medicaid benefits. All you have to do is summit your information to us after choosing one of our quality breast pumps, and we will check your eligibility.
Will Texas Medicaid Cover My Breast Pump?
In most cases, absolutely. This is one of the greatest features about the ACA covering breast pumps. It’s a known fact that the Texas moms who have low income, especially minority and single moms, breastfeed much less than moms of higher income. We need to encourage lower income moms to breastfeed more, and it’s easier to do when their Medicaid insurance covers their breast pump. The only case where Texas Medicaid doesn’t cover breast pumps is when the plan is Chip or Perinate Medicaid. In that case, we can still cover the mom’s breast pump through their baby’s Medicaid.
Will Insurances Cover Compression Stocking?
Private insurance plans cover compression stockings for moms with Pregnancy-related Edema. It is normal to have edema during pregnancy in the ankles and feet. Most private insurance plans require your deductible to be met before covering compression stockings. Texas Medicaid, however, covers four pairs of compression stockings without a deductible or out of pocket expense. If you are pregnant and insured through a private insurance or Texas Medicaid, please fill out our online form and we will check your eligibility.
What If I Have More than One Insurance Plan?
If you are covered by more than one insurance company, please let us know when you submit your information. We are usually required to always go by your primary coverage.
How Do I Start the Process of Getting a Breast Pump and/or Compression Stockings through Insurance?
While our founder was selling prenatal vitamins, the Affordable Care Act was passed, requiring insurance companies to cover breast pumps. This requirement was due to the realization that breastfeeding has so many medical benefits. These discoveries lead to breastfeeding being classified as preventative care.
Can I Get a Breast Pump before the Baby Is Born?
It depends on your insurance company how long we can ship you a breast pump before your baby is born. Under your Preventative Care clause, we can ship you one up to a year after your delivery in case you order one late. Typically, Matriarch is able to dispense your breast pump a couple of weeks before your due date, however, the one-year warranty period on your breast pump starts as of the date we ship the pump to you. Once you complete the online form, we will contact your insurance company for you to find out the exact details of your coverage. As far as taking your order, we can take in your order anytime during your pregnancy, whether it’s the first, second, or third trimester. It’s better to be months early, than to be days late from your due date.
At What Stage During Pregnancy Can I Get Compression Stockings?
We can provide compression stockings to you anytime during your pregnancy up to a couple of weeks before the baby’s due date. We can ship them to you as soon as the orders are signed by your doctor.
Are Breast Pumps Returnable?
Due to the personal nature of these products, all breast pumps are non-returnable to Matriarch WHS if the box is open.
If you have not opened the box on your pump and have decided to return, you will be responsible for the cost of shipping back to us. Returns are accepted within 30 days of your original ship date. Please note, we cannot start the claim reversal process with your insurance company until it is confirmed in our warehouse that all return items have been received. Claim reversal can be quick for us to send to your insurance, but can vary in the amount of time it takes for your insurance company to process the reversal. It is important to know, that you will be unable to use your breast pump benefit with any other provider until your claim has been reversed by your insurance company.
How Long Will It Take to Get a Breast Pump and/or Compression Stockings through Insurance?
The process begins when you complete our online form. Once Matriarch WHS receives that information, we will verify your insurance and collect a prescription from your doctor. We will then contact you within 72 hours.
We can only ship a breast pump to you once all information has been verified, we receive a script from the doctor, and it is close to (or after) your due date. We do not have to wait until your due date to ship compression stockings. We can ship them right after we have your doctor sign the script. Before shipping, we attempt to contact you again to verify your address and to let you know the package is on its way. We work very hard to verify your information and get your breast pump and/or compression stockings shipped out as soon as possible; you will be notified if there are any known delays to your order.
What Is the Benefit of Getting My Pump and/or Compression Stockings through Matriarch WHS Verses a Retailer?
Most insurance plans will not reimburse you for a breast pump and/or Compression Stockings purchased through a traditional retailer such as Target, Babies R Us, Amazon, etc. as they are not considered to be “In Network” durable medical equipment (DME) providers. Matriarch WHS is an in-network DME provider that carries top branded quality and efficient pumps recommended by our certified lactation consultants. The breast pumps we carry could cost you anywhere between $200 to $350 dollars out of pocket. Four pairs of the type of compression stockings we carry can cost you anywhere from $160 to $320. You can get these pumps and four pairs of Compression Stockings covered through your insurance benefits when you order through us.
What Is the Benefit of Getting My Pump and/or Compression Stockings through Matriarch WHS Verses Another DME?
There are plenty of reasons, especially if you are a Texas Mom. Because of recent strict regulations and competitive bidding, the DME industry has tremendously downsized. There are very few DME suppliers these days compared to what there used to be. Out of the lesser DME suppliers which exist today, very few carry breast pumps and maternity related Compression Stockings. Hardy any, besides Matriarch WHS, and a few others, are dedicated solely to women’s health. We are one of the very few, if not the only supplier in the state of Texas, specializing in women’s health. For this reason, many DME suppliers carry very cheap generic breast pumps. They believe that there is no money in breast pumps and every brand is the same. That of course, is not true. Many of these cheap, low efficient pumps, can cause infections to you and your baby.
What Is the Benefit of Getting My Pump and/or Compression Stockings through Matriarch WHS Verses Calling My Insurance Company?
There are plenty of reasons, especially if you are a Texas Mom. When you call your insurance company, you don’t get the privilege of selecting the brand and efficiency pump you want to choose. You just tell them you want a breast pump, and they refer your request to a DME supplier. In MOST cases, your breast pump request will be referred to an out of state supplier. In many cases, that supplier will have a huge staff with levels of departments. They have to fax a script to your doctor who they probably do not know, nor have a relationship with. This will cost you the risk of receiving your breast pump late, or even worse, not at all. You would be surprise by how many Texas Moms are suffering through this.
If your insurance company sends your request to an in-state supplier, that supplier will more than likely not specialize in women’s health. They will also more than likely carry a cheap generic pump. The risks are tremendously less ordering your pump through us. You will receive a quality and efficient pump at the time you should receive it. There are no hurdles you have to jump through to get in touch with us. You never have to go through the many levels of departments, holding times, or various people when you call us that you would otherwise go through when you call your insurance company to fix a problem. As far as compression stockings, most suppliers are selling them retail and not going through a patent’s insurance company. Many insurance companies don’t even get many calls from a patient’s wanting compression stockings because most pregnant patients don’t even know they are covered.
Believe it or not, most OBGYN’s don’t even know compression stockings are covered as well.
Why choose the breast pump or Compression Stocking brands Matriarch WHS carries verses the other brands on the market?
One of the most important qualities to look for when shopping for a breast pump is whether or not the breast pump has a closed system. A closed system prevents milk from being backed up into the tubes, and then into the motor. An open system can be a health hazard to you and your baby and could ruin the motor. ALL off the brands we carry are closed system breast pumps. Also, Texas Medicaid requires us, as an accreditation DME provider, to provide certain pumps to medicaid patients which have to meet a high standard of quality in order to be distributed. They require that breast pumps have two sets of valves, two sets of membranes, a closed system, and a manual pump to go along with the double electric pump. Three out of the four pumps we carry meet these standards and that is why we consider ourselves Texas Medicaid Patient Friendly. Finally, many of the brands other DME’s choose to carry are based on profit margins, deals, and partnerships. There is less of a regard to the safety and quality of the selection of breast pump they provide for our moms. Three of the four brands we carry are based strictly by what the certified lactation nurses we partner with recommend. We pride ourselves on putting our moms first over profit margins, deals, and partnerships.
As far as compression stockings, most suppliers are selling them retail because unlike Matriarch WHS, they do not solely dedicate their marketing strategy towards pregnant moms or women’s health. We carry brands which are designed for maternity and pregnant moms such as Therafirm Core-spun, EASE, and Preggers.
Why Would I Have Received a Bill for a Breast Pump and/or Compression Stockings Delivered to Me?
Most insurance plans only cover ONE breast pump per pregnancy. By completing our form and requesting a pump through Matriarch WHS, you acknowledge that you have not received, or ordered, a personal use breast pump through the same insurance policy or any other insurance policy for this pregnancy. If you have received another breast pump through a different provider or insurance plan, this claim may be denied, and you may responsible for paying the full retail value of the pump to Matriarch WHS. Double orders typically doesn’t happen for compression stockings. However, some private insurances may require the patient to meet a deductible. Matriarch WHS will ALWAYS get in contact with the patient in these cases where they would have to owe a deductible in order to get compression stockings through us. We will not bill a patient directly for compression stockings. Texas Medicaid requires no deductible or out of pocket cost for four pair of compression stockings for patients with pregnancy related edema.
