Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee Helps High Risk Infants

Whenever we see neonates in the ICU, we can't help but feel a pang of pity for these innocent individuals struggling for their lives. A major health insurance company, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee, recently started a program to help by giving breastfeeding moms of at-risk babies across Tennessee a huge break. Tennessee Blue Cross Blue Shield calls it the "Medela Breast Pump Program."

It will provide free Medela breast pumps to mothers who have infants being treated in Neonatal Intensive Care Units or NICU's. The primary objective of the Medela Breast Pump Program is to give these babies an increased chance of survival by increasing breastfeeding rates.

How Does BCBS of TN's Medela Breast Pump Program Help At-Risk Babies?

We all know that as compared to formula feeding, breastfeeding gives more essential nutrients. Breast milk has antibodies that can help fight diseases and infection. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, when mothers breastfeed their babies, it ensures the best physical and psychosocial outcomes for the infant, especially for premature babies. Thus, breastfeeding should always be promoted by pediatricians.

The Medela program partners with health care providers such as doctors, hospitals and nurses to encourage mothers to breastfeed their infants using the Medela breast pump not only in the hospital, but after they return home, as well.

The chief medical officer at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee, Inga Himelright, M.D., stated that the amazing and jam-packed nutrients and health benefits from breast milk boost the condition of newborns admitted in the NICU. Encouraging mothers to breastfeed their babies can surely help these little ones survive their most crucial and vulnerable period in life.

Doctors at Vanderbilt University Medical Center even took it to a notch higher by saying that human milk can be the life and death determinant for at-risk infants. According to Judy Aschner, M.D., the director of the Mildred Sathlman Division of Neonatology at Vanderbilt, "Human milk is the best possible source of nutrition for almost all infants."

What Tennessee Health Insurance Plan Can Help Mothers And Infants?

There are hundreds of TN health insurance plans you can choose from to protect your beloved child. Did you know that the new health insurance plans for Tennessee offers 100 percent coverage for preventive care services for mothers and newborns even before you have met your deductible for the year?

With a new Tennessee health insurance plan, you do not have to worry about paying out-of-pocket costs for co-pays and even deductibles for regular preventive care services. Vaccinations are critical to newborns' health and are completely covered. You do not have to worry about any out-of-pocket medical costs for preventive care even if you get a co-pay plan.

As mandated by the Affordable Care Act, maternity and newborn care is an essential health benefit that must be included in all new Tennessee health insurance plans. In fact, maintaining your health and your babies' health can ultimately lead to premiums on the low side because you'll avoid the markups associated with pre-existing medical conditions.