Protect Every Family’s Access to Lactation Care
The Issue
As a registered nurse, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), and owner of Boob Nerds, I have personally witnessed families struggle to access the lactation care their insurance plans claim to cover. It is heartbreaking to see parents desperately seeking help while insurance barriers prevent them from receiving timely, qualified support.
Some insurers refuse to contract directly with independent IBCLCs, require them to work under a physician or physician group, impose restrictive coverage limitations, reimburse care at unsustainable rates, or cover only one member of the breastfeeding dyad. These policies leave families without accessible care and make it increasingly difficult for qualified lactation professionals to continue serving their communities.
Lactation care is essential healthcare. Not a luxury! Timely support can help address painful feeding problems, poor infant weight gain, dehydration, jaundice, mastitis, low milk supply, and other concerns that may lead to avoidable medical visits or hospitalizations. Yet insurance coverage means little when families cannot find a qualified provider who is permitted or financially able to care for them.
These barriers disproportionately affect families with limited incomes, transportation difficulties, medically complex feeding concerns, and local providers. When insurance fails to provide meaningful access, many families cannot afford to pay out of pocket and are forced to continue struggling or stop breastfeeding before they are ready.
We are calling on insurance companies and policymakers to:
- Recognize and credential qualified independent IBCLCs.
- Eliminate unnecessary restrictions that delay or deny care.
- Provide fair, sustainable reimbursement for lactation services.
- Cover clinically necessary care for both the lactating parent and infant.
- Include in-home and telehealth lactation services to improve access.
Every family, regardless of income, insurance plan, or geographic location, deserves timely and affordable lactation support. Listing a benefit in an insurance policy is not enough if families cannot actually use it.
Please sign this petition and join us in demanding meaningful, equitable access to lactation care for families across the nation.
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The Issue
As a registered nurse, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), and owner of Boob Nerds, I have personally witnessed families struggle to access the lactation care their insurance plans claim to cover. It is heartbreaking to see parents desperately seeking help while insurance barriers prevent them from receiving timely, qualified support.
Some insurers refuse to contract directly with independent IBCLCs, require them to work under a physician or physician group, impose restrictive coverage limitations, reimburse care at unsustainable rates, or cover only one member of the breastfeeding dyad. These policies leave families without accessible care and make it increasingly difficult for qualified lactation professionals to continue serving their communities.
Lactation care is essential healthcare. Not a luxury! Timely support can help address painful feeding problems, poor infant weight gain, dehydration, jaundice, mastitis, low milk supply, and other concerns that may lead to avoidable medical visits or hospitalizations. Yet insurance coverage means little when families cannot find a qualified provider who is permitted or financially able to care for them.
These barriers disproportionately affect families with limited incomes, transportation difficulties, medically complex feeding concerns, and local providers. When insurance fails to provide meaningful access, many families cannot afford to pay out of pocket and are forced to continue struggling or stop breastfeeding before they are ready.
We are calling on insurance companies and policymakers to:
- Recognize and credential qualified independent IBCLCs.
- Eliminate unnecessary restrictions that delay or deny care.
- Provide fair, sustainable reimbursement for lactation services.
- Cover clinically necessary care for both the lactating parent and infant.
- Include in-home and telehealth lactation services to improve access.
Every family, regardless of income, insurance plan, or geographic location, deserves timely and affordable lactation support. Listing a benefit in an insurance policy is not enough if families cannot actually use it.
Please sign this petition and join us in demanding meaningful, equitable access to lactation care for families across the nation.
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Petition created on August 14, 2026