Hello Everyone!
Below is a letter that was sent to Anthem Blue Cross in response to their decision to lower reimbursement breast pumps effective April 1, 2017. Please feel free to use this letter as a template for a response from you! I encourage you to personalize your response and make changes to make it your own so it stands out.
There are 3 email addresses in the email to which you can send your response.
Thank you for all you do to support breastfeeding families!
Allison
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February 27, 2018
Craig Samitt, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer
Anthem, Inc.
120 Monument Circle
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Craig.Samitt@anthem.com
Dear Doctor Samitt,
This letter is in regards to Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield’s decision to lower reimbursement for E0603 from $169.15 to $95.00. This cut in reimbursement will put mothers, babies and young families at risk of reduced duration of breastfeeding. In particular, low-income families will be adversely impacted as they lack resources to access other options.
I represent the Wisconsin Association of Lactation Consultants. Our membership of 168 Lactation Supporters work daily to support breastfeeding families and to help them overcome barriers to the continuation of breastfeeding from the early days after birth to returning to work and through weaning. Many of us work with mothers that are returning to work very early – at times as soon as 1-2 weeks postpartum. A vital part of what we do is to help mothers prepare to return to work and maintain their milk supply while away from their babies. These mothers face many barriers. The use of ineffective and low cost breast pumps will add another obstacle to the continuation of breastfeeding.
Reduced access to reliable and durable breast pumps will impact the bottom line of Anthem with shorter durations of breastfeeding. The 2010 paper The Burden of Suboptimal Breastfeeding in the United States: A Pediatric Cost Analysis estimates “If 90% of US families could comply with medical recommendations to breastfeed exclusively for 6 months, the United States would save $13 billion per year and prevent an excess 911 deaths, nearly all of which would be in infants ($10.5 billion and 741 deaths at 80% compliance).”
The decision to lower reimbursement for breast pumps is contrary to the stance Anthem has taken in the past to support quality care of mothers and babies. We urge you to reconsider this decision and to maintain coverage at the current rates.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Yours truly,
Allison Laverty Montag IBCLC
WALC President
allisonlavmon@gmail.com
(920)765-4375
CC: Mr. Paul Nobile, President
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin
Paul.Nobile@anthem.com
CC: Michael Jaeger, MD, Medical Director
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin
Michael.Jaeger@anthem.com
