Welcoming a baby can be costly — and that’s only counting the gear the newborn will require. Expectant mothers have expenses too.
The price of maternity wear, nursing bras, prenatal supplements and endless cups of ginger tea to cope with morning sickness can quickly accumulate.
To help more moms afford pregnancy-related necessities, Belly Bandit, a maker of maternity and postpartum items, has made several of its products eligible for reimbursement through health insurance programs, including flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts that allow out-of-pocket costs to be claimed.
“We wanted to make our pregnancy support and postpartum recovery items accessible to all women who need them — that was the driving force behind pursuing insurance coverage,” said Belly Bandit co-founder Lori Caden.
She explained the company underwent an extensive process, consulting with numerous physicians and maternity specialists to demonstrate the medical necessity of the products and secure the appropriate diagnostic codes for insurance purposes.
“Our offerings tackle a range of concerns, from back pain to diastasis recti, ” Caden noted.
Belly Bandit rolled out the health insurance initiative in September 2017.
Items eligible for insurance reimbursement include a variety of wraps and bands designed to support a woman’s body during pregnancy and help with postpartum recovery. Post-C-section supportive underwear and compression hosiery may also qualify.
Dr. Cynthia Robbins, an OB-GYN who has collaborated with the brand, said she recommends the pregnancy wraps for support, easing back and pelvic discomfort, and to stabilize the postpartum body so gentle exercise can begin sooner.
“I’m pleased that insurers are treating these products as durable medical equipment,” she said. “This will allow many more women to receive assistance.”
Women should verify with their individual insurance plans whether Belly Bandit items are covered and submit claims to their own providers.
Although Belly Bandit provides an insurance claim form on its site along with recommended instructions for filing a claim, the company does not directly process claims with insurers nor does it issue reimbursements.
Anna Reed is a contributing writer at Savinly.
