FAQs

We are open and processing orders at this time. There may be delays with shipping carriers due to COVID-19, especially around the holidays. We recommend ordering as soon as you are able to, to avoid any inconvenience with unexpected delays.

Yes! Our manufacturers, Customer Service team, and Warehouse employees are mission-critical and will remain working. We are making every effort to ensure our customers continue to receive what they need with no disruption.

The majority of our team has always worked from home. Our Warehouse staff have the required documentation as an essential business, and are operating with our two trusty team members to keep things moving during this time. We are keeping our families safe to serve yours. For the latest information on COVID-19 visit Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health.

Questions about getting a breast pump through your insurance or need an update on your order? Check out our FAQs to find answers to frequently asked questions.

If you’d like to speak to a Pumping Essentials team member, we're available by phone Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST by calling 1-866-688-4203 or via email at customercare@pumpingessentials.com.

As of August 2012, many insurance plans began covering the purchase of breast pumps for expectant or lactating mothers under the Affordable Healthcare Act (ACA).

Coverage can vary by insurance company and policy type. The only way to verify your specific plan coverage with Pumping Essentials is to complete the Verify Eligibility form. Then, Pumping Essentials will contact your insurance provider for you and inform you of your coverage via phone or email. Now you can relax and focus on the most important thing in your life: your growing family.

Pumping Essentials will help you through the entire process of getting a breast pump through insurance. Once you complete the request on our website, we begin verifying your eligibility! If a prescription or authorization is required, please send this to us at RX@pumpingessentials.com or via fax at (888) 506-2520 so that we can attach it to your order promptly. You will receive an email update to inform you of your coverage, and if you qualify the pump will be mailed directly to your home.

All of our manufacturers honor their electric breast pump warranties. Please note, the warranty may differ for pump motor and parts. If you should have any trouble with your pump, the manufacturer will be the one to work with to correct the problem. Please have your order invoice, the pump's serial number and model number available and then contact the manufacturer directly.

Ameda
www.ameda.com
1-866-992-6332
ParentCare@ameda.com

BabyBuddha
www.babybuddhaproducts.com
support@babybuddhaproducts.com

Elvie
www.elvie.com
1-508-300-9989
questions@elvie.com

Evenflo Feeding
www.evenflofeeding.com
1-855-334-BABY (2229)
support@evenflofeeding.com

Freemie
www.freemie.com
1-916-339-7388
info@freemie.com

Lansinoh
www.lansinoh.com
1-800-292-4794
customerservice@lansinoh.com

Medela
www.medelabreastfeedingus.com
1-800-435-8316
customer.service@medela.com

Spectra
www.spectrababyusa.com
1-855-446-6622
warranty@spectrababyusa.com

Willow
www.willowpump.com
1-888-945-5693

Does your insurance require a prescription or authorization for your order? If so, please email us a copy with your name and date of birth at RX@pumpingessentials.com or via fax at (888) 506-2520.

Depending upon your insurance, a prescription may be required to fill your breast pump order. If a prescription is required, we will let you know after we verify your eligibility. You will receive an email detailing anything outstanding with additional information on how to collect and return the information. Already have a prescription? Please email it to us at RX@pumpingessentials.com or fax to (888) 506-2520 to expedite the process. It’s okay to send this even if your plan may not require it!

Some insurances and/or HMO medical groups require that we obtain an authorization from them prior to shipping your breast pump, or the claim will not be paid. During our experience over the last several years, we have found the mother has the most success obtaining this document. As a provider, we cannot justify the need for your breast pump to your plan - your doctor must do this.

To obtain an authorization, use the email we sent you determining if the authorization that is needed is for your plan or medical group. Then, contact your doctor and ask them to submit an authorization request to the appropriate party, naming Pumping Essentials as the approved provider. Don’t worry - we will give the information you need to correctly ask your doctor to do this.

The approved authorization can be emailed to us at RX@pumpingessentials.com or faxed to (888) 506-2520. Please understand this is a requirement of your insurance/medical group and not our requirement.

We want to help as much as we can during this time! We have found that best practice for obtaining your prescription is to ask your doctor to provide one during your visit or telehealth appointment. Unless you are Tricare, there are no specific requirements for what needs to be written on your prescription - most simply say “E0603 Breast Pump” and are signed and dated by your doctor.

You or your doctor can fax the completed prescription to (888) 506-5250, or it may be emailed to RX@pumpingessentials.com. If possible, it is best to send this documentation after you have registered online - this allows for immediate linking to your account. Should you submit at a different time, no worries! It will still reach your account! Once we have everything that your insurance requires, we will ship your pump directly to your door, and take care of submitting your claim to your insurance!

Do you want to know how our upgrade fees are determined and how we calculate your copay or deductible?

According to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements, insurance companies are required to cover a “basic” breast pump. This is mostly classified as “enough to get started”. Items that fall outside of this range would be considered deluxe “upgrade” options. The most common pumps in the upgrade category include an alternate power source - a standard or rechargeable battery option. The basic pumps can all be plugged into the wall, so batteries are not a necessary option. For other deluxe models the differentiator could be extra included accessories pre-packaged with the pump such as a breast pump bag, cooler bag, extra bottles, etc. Again, these items are not “needed” and beyond “enough to get started,” placing them into an upgrade category.

In addition to the above, contracts between the insurance company and the DME providers set an agreed upon rate for claim payment called the “contract rate.” No matter which pump you choose, your insurance plan will only pay the contract rate to us - nothing more, and nothing less. Your free choices will be items that will be fully reimbursed by your plan under their contract rate.

The fully covered options you receive depend on your insurance plan and our contract rate with them. Every plan has one or more fully covered “basic” pump options. Again, as stated in the previous section, your plan pays us a flat rate (contract rate) for any pump you choose, and we have provided free choices for you that will be fully covered by this flat rate.

Upgrade fees cover the gap between the flat rate that your insurance will pay for the “basic” pump (the contract rate) and the cost of the Deluxe model choices. We are able to apply what your plan will pay for your basic pump, to the deluxe model you really want, if you choose to upgrade.

If you are interested in an upgrade option pump, please fill out the initial form on our site to be shown the options available to you. Don't worry - Pumping Essentials takes care of all the phone calls with your insurance and will confirm that your selection was made using the correct plan. Should anything change when we verify your full coverage, we will notify you via email. Pumping Essentials does accept HSA and FSA spending accounts as payment for upgrade pump charges.

No, upgrade fees are not covered by your plan. The insurance will only pay the single contract rate, which covers only your basic choices. The upgrade fee is a completely voluntary choice made by you to receive a deluxe pump model, and pay the difference. Every plan is offered at least one fully covered option as required by the ACA. You are notified during the process which pump packages have upgrade fees and which are fully covered. For more information, please click here.

Yes! Your HSA and FSA funds can be used anytime to purchase qualified medical expenses, such as breast pump upgrades.

Most insurances only cover ONE breast pump per pregnancy. By completing the initial form and requesting a pump through Pumping Essentials, you acknowledge that you have not received a personal use breast pump through the same insurance policy or any other insurance policy for this pregnancy. If you have received another breast pump through a different provider or insurance, this claim may be denied and you are responsible for paying the full retail value of the pump to Pumping Essentials. If you believe a statement was issued in error, please call (866) 688-4203 and one of our representatives will address the issue.

What happens after we take your order? Do you need contact information to speak with one of our Customer Care representatives? Click here to learn more about our Customer Service team, our processes, and how we can help you.

Do you need assistance? Please call us at (866) 688-4203 Monday-Friday, 7am-5pm PST.

Yes! Please call us at (866) 688-4203. You will be prompted to press a number to speak with our Spanish speaking representatives.

Pumping Essentials and our sister company, Simple Wishes, have been serving mothers, building relationships with health insurance companies, health care professionals, breastfeeding support advocates/educators and providing high quality breastfeeding supplies for over seven years. In 2014 we helped make the experience of obtaining and using a breastpump easier for over 150,000 mothers. Additionally, Pumping Essentials is fully accredited and has been awarded certification as meeting "Exemplary Provider Standards" by The Compliance Team as a trusted Durable Medical Equipment supplier.

We care about, and understand what you are experiencing as a pregnant or new mother. The founders and key staff at Pumping Essentials are all mothers, collectively having over 20 years experience with breastfeeding and newborn care. Give us a call at (866) 688-4203 if you have any other questions. See for yourself how easy the process of obtaining your new breast pump can be by completing our Verify Eligibility form to get started!

All our manufacturers honor their electric breast pump warranties. Please note, the warranty may differ for pump motor and parts. If you should have any trouble with your pump, the manufacturer will be the one to work with to correct the problem. Please have the pump's serial number and model number available and then contact the manufacturer directly:

Do you want details about Tricare changes, or have questions about how Tricare works and how you can find out what's covered under your plan? These FAQs and answers may provide insight into your benefits and how you can use them.

Tricare has specific requirements for what needs to be written on your prescription (RX). If your RX is missing any of the following, we will request that you obtain a new one or have the missing items added to your current RX.

Mom's Full Name and Date of Birth
Sponsor’s SSN and/or Patient DoD Benefits Number
Patient Phone
Baby's Due Date OR Date of Birth (If Baby Born)* (Tricare West only)
Doctor's Signature and Doctor's NPI
Must be signed by valid prescriber (not LPN, RN, or IBCLC)
Provider Phone Number
Doctor's Date Prescribed
E0603 Electric breast pump purchase
Diagnosis (Tricare East only)
Lactating Mother Z39.1, or other

Yes. The new Tricare policy effective 3/11/19 does not allow us to ship your breast pump until you are at, or beyond, 27 weeks gestation, or have already delivered. You may place your order at any time throughout your pregnancy, however, we will not be able to ship your breast pump until we have passed this timeframe. Don’t worry! We will hold your shipment until the allowable ship date. We determine this date using the baby’s due date you provide us at registration.

Would you like more information on how long this process typically takes, how to set up your online account, how to place your order, and more? Check out these FAQs and answers.

As of August 2012, many insurance plans began covering the purchase of breast pumps for expectant or lactating mothers under the Affordable Healthcare Act (ACA).

Coverage can vary by insurance company and policy type. The only way to verify your specific plan coverage with Pumping Essentials is to complete the initial form. Then, Pumping Essentials will contact your insurance provider for you and inform you of your coverage via email. This email will also include any outstanding items we may need from you.

Once everything is received, we will ship your pump directly to your door. Now you can relax and focus on the most important thing in your life: your growing family.

If you are covered under more than one insurance plan, we need to know about it when you complete the initial form. There are fields on this form for you to fill in this information. If we are not notified of other insurance at the time of your order, you could be responsible for full payment of your pump.

Pumping Essentials will help you through the entire process of getting a breast pump through insurance. Once you complete the initial form on our website, Pumping Essentials will begin the process! We will contact your insurance to verify your coverage and find out if any documentation is needed. If a prescription or authorization is required, please email it to us at RX@pumpingessentials.com or via fax at (888) 506-2520. A Pumping Essentials representative will email you to inform you of your coverage, and if you qualify, the pump will be mailed directly to your home.

Depending on your insurance company, you may be eligible to receive a breast pump before your baby is born under your Preventative Care clause and up to a year after delivery. Typically, Pumping Essentials is able to dispense your breast pump at any time during your pregnancy, however, the one-year warranty period on your breast pump starts as of the date we ship the pump to you. Once you complete the initial form, we will contact your insurance company for you to find out the exact details of your coverage.

The process begins when you complete the initial form. Once Pumping Essentials receives that information, we will verify your insurance and find out if any additional document is required. If a prescription or authorization is required, please email it to us at RX@pumpingessentials.com or via fax at (888) 506-2520.

We can only ship a breast pump to you once all information has been verified, and any upgrade costs, if applicable, have been paid. Breast Pumps ship via UPS and if you have provided a valid email address you will receive a tracking number via email to follow the shipping status of your order. We work very hard to verify your information and get your breast pump shipped out as soon as possible; you will be notified if there are any known delays to your order.

Some insurance plans are "grandfathered," and are not required to provide breastfeeding supplies or support. If your policy is "grandfathered" you may still qualify under Durable Medical Equipment. However, a Copay or Deductible may need to be met. If you have no coverage, or have an unmet deductible, we can still help by passing on the significant discounts we receive on breast pumps to you as an out of pocket expense. Remember, if you have an FSA or HSA account you can use this to pay for breast pumps.

Pumping Essentials works with you, your physician, and your insurance company to file your claim, making the most of your benefits. As an "In Network" contracted DME provider, we charge only the allowable amount permitted by your insurance company.

If you were to purchase a pump from a traditional retailer as an upfront out of pocket cost, you would then need to submit all the correct documentation to your insurance company for payment. At Pumping Essentials we do this for you, eliminating unneeded stress during such an important time.

Coverage and reimbursement depends on health insurance type, plan, and network. Our representatives are able to thoroughly explain your options if we discover your insurance policy does not have coverage. If for any reason you do not qualify for a breast pump through insurance, Pumping Essentials has pumps available for purchase at significantly lower rates than at Target or other "Big Box" retailers.

Of course - we want to handle this for you! We let you know exactly what is needed from both your insurance and your doctor, and do as much of the filing and phone calls as possible. You can submit signed prescriptions via email; include it as an attachment and send to RX@pumpingessentials.com, or you can fax it to (888) 506-2520.

Do you want to know what shipping methods are available? Have questions about our return policy? These questions and answers can help.

Due to the personal nature of these products, all breast pumps are non-returnable to Pumping Essentials if the hygienic seal has been broken. If you have not broken the hygienic seal on your pump and have decided to return, you will be responsible for the cost of shipping back to us. Returns are accepted within 30 days of your original ship date. Please note, we cannot start the claim reversal process with your insurance company until it is confirmed in our warehouse that all return items have been received and the hygienic seal is intact. To see what your manufacturer considers the "hygienic seal", please click here. If a pump upgrade fee refund is applicable, this will be issued at that time as well. Claim reversal can be quick for us to send to your insurance, but can vary in the amount of time it takes for your insurance company to process the reversal. It is important to know that you will be unable to use your breast pump benefit with any other provider until your claim has been reversed by your insurance company.

If there is an issue with your breast pump, please contact the manufacturer.

Medela
www.medelabreastfeedingus.com
1-800-435-8316
www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/contact-us

Ameda
www.ameda.com
1-866-992-6332
ParentCare@ameda.com

Spectra Baby
www.spectrababyusa.com
1-855-446-6622

Lansinoh
www.lansinoh.com
1-800-292-4794

Elvie
www.elvie.com
1-508-300-9989
questions@elvie.com
Evenflo Feeding
www.evenflofeeding.com
1-855-334-BABY (2229)
support@evenflofeeding.com

BabyBuddha
www.babybuddhaproducts.com
support@babybuddhaproducts.com

Freemie
www.freemie.com
1-916-339-7388

Willow
www.willowpump.com
1-888-945-5693

We offer free standard shipping on all orders. If you select expedited or overnight shipping at checkout, please note that the selected delivery method is from the time your order is ready to ship, not the date the order is placed. Your order will be ready to ship once all required documentation is received and any policy restrictions have been met. We process and ship orders Monday through Friday, 7am-5pm PST (closed weekends and holidays).

Where can you find more information regarding the Affordable Care Act ? Here is a list of resources that can provide more information about the Affordable Care Act and provisions regarding breast pumps.

Here is a list of resources that can provide more information about the Affordable Care Act and provisions regarding breast pumps:

HHS.gov: About the Affordable Care Act Law
HealthCare.gov: What are my breastfeeding benefits?

Pumping Essentials and our sister company, Simple Wishes, have been serving mothers, building relationships with health insurance companies, health care professionals, breastfeeding support advocates/educators and providing high quality breastfeeding supplies for over six years. In 2014 we helped make the experience of obtaining and using a breastpump easier for over 150,000 mothers. Additionally, Pumping Essentials is fully accredited and has been awarded certification as meeting "Exemplary Provider Standards" by The Compliance Team as a trusted Durable Medical Equipment supplier.

For questions about our website, you can:

Review our Frequently Asked Questions here.
Email us at customercare@pumpingessentials.com.
Call our Customer Care team at 1-866-688-4203, Monday-Friday, between 7:00am to 5:00 pm PST.