Aeroflow Well being, a well being expertise firm, has expanded its breastfeeding counseling companies to Virginia Medicaid, it introduced Thursday.

Based mostly in Asheville, North Carolina, Aeroflow Well being was based in 2001 and affords a spread of medical gadgets lined by insurance coverage. The corporate has 4 strains: Aeroflow Breast Pumps, Aeroflow Diabetes, Aeroflow Sleep and Aeroflow Urology. Along with medical gadgets, she additionally offers schooling and consultations. The corporate has partnerships with greater than 1,000 insurance policy.

Due to Aeroflow's partnership with Virginia Medicaid and its managed care organizations, new moms have entry to Aeroflow breast pumps. They can even be related to Aeroflow's community of lactation consultants. Members can obtain particular person lactation consultations and on-line programs on subjects corresponding to breastfeeding, pumping and storing breast milk.

“This partnership between Aeroflow Well being and Virginia Medicaid expands entry to lactation companies from Aeroflow breast pumps for brand new and expectant moms,” Amanda Minimi, director of enterprise improvement at Aeroflow Well being, instructed MedCity Information. “This partnership will join new moms to a strong community of lactation consultants and different maternal well being companies at little to no value.”

Virginia Medicaid covers one-third of births within the state, amounting to greater than 37,000 births, in accordance with the Virginia Division of Medical Help Companies. Aeroflow Well being's partnership with Virginia Medicaid comes after the corporate partnered with Aetna Higher Well being Virginia, Molina Healthcare Virginia and Sentara Well being of Virginia.

“We contract with all Medicaid plans and most Managed Care organizations, so we is usually a dependable one-stop store for individuals on the lookout for medical services,” Minimi mentioned. “This protection is essential as a result of it means we may also help healthcare organizations increase their attain and help medical doctors find the correct locations to refer their sufferers. We're right here to make healthcare simpler to entry and navigate. And it's not nearly large cities; we additionally attain distant areas, locations the place there might not be a lot well being care out there.”

Underneath the Inexpensive Care Act, states are required to cowl breast pumping and session companies for Medicaid growth beneficiaries. Nevertheless, there isn’t a federal requirement for protection of breastfeeding companies in non-expansion states. To this point, 41 states have adopted the Medicaid growth (together with Virginia) and 10 states haven’t. Nevertheless, Minimi famous that whereas not all states are increasing Medicaid, some Medicaid managed care plans are increasing to incorporate breast pump protection as an additional benefit.

Minimi added that she expects to see elevated use of breastfeeding advantages and doula help sooner or later. As well as, extra consideration will seemingly be paid to psychological well being care.

“There’s a sturdy hyperlink between breastfeeding success and psychological well being, so it’s essential that we deal with this,” she mentioned. “Sooner or later, there are alternatives in figuring out situational stressors (and different social determinants of well being components) that contribute to psychological well being issues and discovering options to them. Peer help from suppliers corresponding to lactation and doula professionals is essential in successfully figuring out and addressing these stressors.”

Different corporations that provide breastfeeding help embody Nest Collaborative, SimpliFed, and Maven Clinic.

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