Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies... A Healthy Mississippi

Equipment Benefits for Breastfeeding Mothers

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi members may be eligible for breast pump coverage as part of their benefit plan. Download the Benefit Guide below to learn more about how to take advantage of the benefits for breast pumps.

Download the Breast Pump Benefit Guide

To search for a Durable Medical Equipment Provider:

1. Click the blue button below

2. Select "Other Network Providers" on the left-hand side

3. Select "Durable Medical Equipment Supplier"

Search for a Durable Medical Equipment Provider

Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative

Following our successful 39 Weeks Initiative, implemented in January 2015, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi is continuing our Maternity Quality Model grounded in best practice guidelines with the goal of further ensuring quality care for Mississippi mothers and babies. The Quality Model will require all delivering Network Hospitals across the state to gain Baby-Friendly designation as part of criteria for achieving Blue Distinction for maternity care. The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative is a global program that encourages and recognizes delivering facilities providing evidence-based maternity care with the goal of achieving optimal infant feeding outcomes and mother/baby bonding.

"Baby-Friendly Hospital Designation is a seal of quality care during the prenatal period, delivery and after baby arrives. Hospitals that attain this designation practice safe, family-centered care, including encouraging breastfeeding," said Casey Bland, Provider Quality Coordinator at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi. "Breast milk is uniquely suited to an infant's nutritional needs. But breastfeeding is about so much more than nutrition . It can be protective against childhood and adult obesity and childhood infectious diseases. Breastfeeding also lowers a mother's risk for developing Type II Diabetes and breast and ovarian cancer. The Baby-Friendly Hospital designation supports hospitals in giving all mothers the information, confidence and skills necessary to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies or feeding formula safely."

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi is partnering with the Mississippi State Department of Health and CHAMPS (Communities and Hospitals Advancing Maternity Practices), an initiative funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, to assist our Network Hospitals in achieving the Baby-Friendly quality designation through education and training. The Baby-Friendly Hospital requirement is the next step in our efforts to establish consistent, evidence-based care in the area of women's health. We also support members in choosing to breastfeed their babies by providing coverage for the breast pump that best meets their needs.

"We are committed to a healthy future for Mississippians, and that future starts with healthy children and healthy babies," said Bland. "We know that working with our Network Providers to give our children a healthy start in life is one of the greatest gifts we can give them."

Download the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative