Breastfeeding Medicine Consultations
LPG Breastfeeding Support
The doctors at LPG recommend that you breastfeed for the first year or two, and as long thereafter as you and your baby desire. But, we know that breastfeeding isn’t easy.
Dr. Kay Anderson, our breastfeeding medicine specialist, will provide support to help you reach your breastfeeding goals. As a pediatrician, Dr. Anderson will also monitor your baby’s overall health and address critical issues such as jaundice, weight gain concerns, low milk supply, latch pain, infections, tongue-tie and many other medical issues for which you would bring your baby to see a doctor. At appropriate times, Dr. Anderson may also do well baby check-ups, while addressing breastfeeding concerns involving both you and your baby.
INSURANCE COVERAGE and The cost of Breastfeeding Medicine services
Dr. Anderson will support you to produce milk for your baby. However, as described above, your baby is the patient at LPG. Thus, your baby is the patient on the claim sent to insurance. We submit the charges to insurance as an office visit. Thus, your insurance may apply a copay, or the charges may go to your baby's dedubtible, if that hasn't been met for the year.
Non-physician lactation consultants at outside facilities bill the lactation consult visit with the Mother as the patient on the claim. Thus, they use insurance codes for Women's Preventive Health. Those codes require insurance to pay 100% of lactation consultations, based on the Health Care Reform Act. As a pediatric office, we don't use the Women's Preventive Helath codes.
During breastfeeding consults at LPG, Dr. Anderson has access to your baby's entire medical record, can speak directly with your baby's pediatrician, and monitors your baby's over all health that may or may not be related to breastfeeding. The number of breastfeeding visits depends on you and your baby’s medical needs and on how much support you feel you need to reach your goals. The initial lactation visit is scheduled for 1 hour, and follow up lactation visits are scheduled for 30 minutes. A breastfeeding visit is billed as an office visit.
The Initial Newborn Well Child Check-Up
Your baby's first visit at Lincoln Pediatric Group is called the Initial Newborn Well Child Check-Up. Many insurance policies pay 100% for these preventive healthcare visits. If Dr. Anderson does an initial breastfeeding consultation in addition to this Well Child Check up, you will be scheduled for a 1 hour, as there are lots of things to discuss. Thus, an additional office visit charge will be billed for the extra time spent.
The 2 Week Well Child Check-Up
If you still need lactation support as your baby approaches 2 weeks old, Dr. Anderson can do the 2 Week Well Child Check-Up. As stated above, many insuarnce policies pay 100% for these preventive healthcare visits. As a follow up lactation consult, Dr. Anderson usually does not charge an extra fee for this combination visit. However, if Dr. Anderson does the 2 Week Well Check Up and an initial breastfeeding consult, the appointment will be 1 hour long, and an additional office visit charge will be billed for the extra time spent.
Educational Articles and Videos
Click here to view information, created by Dr. Anderson, that will support your breastfeeding journey.