Women and children are the winners in a new plan announced by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Aug. 1—just in time for World Breastfeeding Week (Aug. 1–7).
The new HHS services were announced in accordance with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and include support for breast-feeding equipment, contraception, and HIV screening. Insurers should cover them without asking for co-payments, co-insurance, or deductibles, and many private employers already cover these new services in their health care plans.
“The Affordable Care Act helps stop health problems before they start,” Kathleen Sebelius, HHS Secretary said. “These historic guidelines are based on science and existing literature and will help ensure women get the preventive health benefits they need.”
Before the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Americans were using preventive services at roughly half the recommended rate because of health care costs, but almost 75 percent of the nation’s health spending goes towards chronic illnesses that could have been prevented, according to the HHS.
According to Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin, breast-feeding is a highly effective preventive measure, but according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 96 percent of hospitals were lacking the maternity care policies and practices needed to support breast-feeding mothers.
Under the new guidelines, comprehensive support and counseling for breast-feeding will be provided in conjunction with each birth.
“It protects babies from many infections and illnesses, such as diarrhea and pneumonia,” Benjamin wrote in a statement. “Children who have been breast-fed have lower rates of childhood obesity. Mothers who breast-feed have a decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancers.”
“It’s a good start, but it’s definitely got its limitations,” said Leigh Anne O’Connor, spokesperson for the La Leche League International (LLLI) in New York, over the phone.
La Leche League looks at breast-feeding as the physiological norm, rather than a preventative benefit measure, and the CDC says the number of LLLI leaders per 1,000 live births goes up with breast-feeding mothers. The organization uses a mother-to-mother support and information system, and sees women from a variety of situations.
O’Connor says her only concern would be how comprehensive the training for medical professionals giving breast-feeding counseling is, because many in the medical field don’t get comprehensive training in breast-feeding unless their area of study specifically focuses on it.
Benjamin launched the “Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding” initiative in January to encourage families, communities, employers, and health care professionals to support breast-feeding.
“The decision to breast-feed is a personal one, and a mother should not be made to feel guilty if she cannot, or chooses not, to breast-feed,” Benjamin said in a statement.
Because the breast-feeding services in the new guidelines cover rental for breast-feeding equipment, cost will be less of a factor than time and health for mothers deciding whether or not they would prefer to breast-feed their babies. Breast pumps can range from under $100 to well over $200 and with the addition of other nursing supplies, breast-feeding costs can quickly catch up to the cost of months of buying formula.
According to the CDC, 66 percent of mothers with less than a high-school education or GED initially breast-feed, while at least 85 percent of college graduate mothers initially breast-feed. Both demographics see about a 50 percent drop in numbers by 12 months, however, and only 13 percent of U.S. babies are exclusively breast-fed at the end of six months.
Under the new guidelines, health plans will also cover annual well-woman visits, and screening and counseling for gestational diabetes, sexually transmitted infections, HIV, and domestic violence. Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing will begin at age 30 and occur every three years.
The HHS estimates that 34 million women, ages 18–64, will be utilizing these new services by 2013.
Contraceptive methods and education will also be available as prescribed for all women with reproductive capacity. Religious employers with group health plans are exempt from providing this service, however, if contraception conflicts with their tenets.
The HHS invites public input on this issue, and if the exemption is modified, it will go into effect Aug. 1, 2012.
The new HHS services were announced in accordance with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and include support for breast-feeding equipment, contraception, and HIV screening. Insurers should cover them without asking for co-payments, co-insurance, or deductibles, and many private employers already cover these new services in their health care plans.
“The Affordable Care Act helps stop health problems before they start,” Kathleen Sebelius, HHS Secretary said. “These historic guidelines are based on science and existing literature and will help ensure women get the preventive health benefits they need.”
Before the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Americans were using preventive services at roughly half the recommended rate because of health care costs, but almost 75 percent of the nation’s health spending goes towards chronic illnesses that could have been prevented, according to the HHS.
According to Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin, breast-feeding is a highly effective preventive measure, but according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 96 percent of hospitals were lacking the maternity care policies and practices needed to support breast-feeding mothers.
Under the new guidelines, comprehensive support and counseling for breast-feeding will be provided in conjunction with each birth.
“It protects babies from many infections and illnesses, such as diarrhea and pneumonia,” Benjamin wrote in a statement. “Children who have been breast-fed have lower rates of childhood obesity. Mothers who breast-feed have a decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancers.”
“It’s a good start, but it’s definitely got its limitations,” said Leigh Anne O’Connor, spokesperson for the La Leche League International (LLLI) in New York, over the phone.
La Leche League looks at breast-feeding as the physiological norm, rather than a preventative benefit measure, and the CDC says the number of LLLI leaders per 1,000 live births goes up with breast-feeding mothers. The organization uses a mother-to-mother support and information system, and sees women from a variety of situations.
O’Connor says her only concern would be how comprehensive the training for medical professionals giving breast-feeding counseling is, because many in the medical field don’t get comprehensive training in breast-feeding unless their area of study specifically focuses on it.
Benjamin launched the “Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding” initiative in January to encourage families, communities, employers, and health care professionals to support breast-feeding.
“The decision to breast-feed is a personal one, and a mother should not be made to feel guilty if she cannot, or chooses not, to breast-feed,” Benjamin said in a statement.
Because the breast-feeding services in the new guidelines cover rental for breast-feeding equipment, cost will be less of a factor than time and health for mothers deciding whether or not they would prefer to breast-feed their babies. Breast pumps can range from under $100 to well over $200 and with the addition of other nursing supplies, breast-feeding costs can quickly catch up to the cost of months of buying formula.
According to the CDC, 66 percent of mothers with less than a high-school education or GED initially breast-feed, while at least 85 percent of college graduate mothers initially breast-feed. Both demographics see about a 50 percent drop in numbers by 12 months, however, and only 13 percent of U.S. babies are exclusively breast-fed at the end of six months.
Under the new guidelines, health plans will also cover annual well-woman visits, and screening and counseling for gestational diabetes, sexually transmitted infections, HIV, and domestic violence. Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing will begin at age 30 and occur every three years.
The HHS estimates that 34 million women, ages 18–64, will be utilizing these new services by 2013.
Contraceptive methods and education will also be available as prescribed for all women with reproductive capacity. Religious employers with group health plans are exempt from providing this service, however, if contraception conflicts with their tenets.
The HHS invites public input on this issue, and if the exemption is modified, it will go into effect Aug. 1, 2012.
