Breast pump through tricare

[meltoine]

Anyone here gotten a pump through tricare yet?

My MW is not a tricare-authorized provider, so I'm wondering if I can get a prescription from the pedi instead, and if the dates have to match. Like if I buy the pump now, but the prescription is dated after the birth (and thus after the purchase), will they still reimburse it?

[amaristella]

I basically have no idea except that some people have been getting approval letters which makes it sounds like a Tricare administrative thing more than a care provider level thing. Let me skim a Facebook group and see if I can't learn more.

[amaristella]

Here are some quotes. Not sure if any of them will help:

"If you're wanting to get reimbursed, the pump had to be purchased on or after December 19, 2014. But to get a new pump, you have until 36 months after baby was born!"

"I did everything online... I was going through Tidewater Lactation, but had problems with them being able to open my RX, so I Chose to go with Ashland. Literally took 3 minutes to fill out a paper, attach my RX and BAM! The ladies sent me a 2 day FedEx tracking number and it showed up this morning smile emoticon Most painless Tricare thing I've ever done!!"

"Buy it then put in for the reimbursement through Tricare"

Here is a multi-part convo

"I don't need it yet but will need it sooner than others. My twins will be here early."

PP: You can get it before they arrive


Here is another multi-part convo

OP "So, my "ob" at Schofield hand wrote me a script for a breast pump. I've been trying to call to find out if its been approved by tricare so I can order it, and they keep telling me nothing has been submitted. What do I do from here with my written script? I can't get in contact with Fuqua or the red team and tricare hasn't helped. TIA!"

PP1: "Your Dr has to actually call Tricare to get the ball rolling on an approval. They can't just hand you a prescription and call it a day."

PP2: "You have to fax the script to the company you are ordering from. After the Dr writes the script, you have to do the rest."

OP Even if tricare has no record of the script being written?

PP2: "You fax it to the company, let's say Target, and they handle the verification process from there."

And finally, someone provided this link:

breastfeedingincombatboots.com/2015/06/your-top-20-tricare-lactation-policy-questions-answered/

[amaristella]

So from what I gather on the breast feeding in combat boots link is that each "birth event" (new baby) qualifies you for one pump and it can be purchased before or after birth as long as it was not purchased before December 19, 2014 or more than 36 months after the baby came to you. And for each you will need a Rx from a Tricare provider although it sounds like the date on the Rx is irrelevant it just has to match up with the individual baby that you're buying it for.

[brandienee]

This is what happened for me:

I asked for the script.

My Nurse Practitioner made the script, faxed a copy over to tricare. Then faxed it over to a local medical supply company.

Med Supply company called me the next day and gave me pump options, I chose one and they sent someone out the next day with the pump.

NBD.

I would have loved to have been able to buy it myself with some other accessories, but this way was efficient enough for me to have no complaints. I got it 3 days after the script was made.

You can definitely buy it now and get reimbursed, but yeah, I would talk to your pedi for the script.

[beans]

Aug 5, 2015 12:11:36 GMT -5 brandienee said:

This is what happened for me:

I asked for the script.

My Nurse Practitioner made the script, faxed a copy over to tricare. Then faxed it over to a local medical supply company.

Med Supply company called me the next day and gave me pump options, I chose one and they sent someone out the next day with the pump.

NBD.

I would have loved to have been able to buy it myself with some other accessories, but this way was efficient enough for me to have no complaints. I got it 3 days after the script was made.

You can definitely buy it now and get reimbursed, but yeah, I would talk to your pedi for the script.

What kind did you get? What were the different options? I've been considering the spectra s2

[brandienee]

Aug 5, 2015 14:13:06 GMT -5 beans said:

Aug 5, 2015 12:11:36 GMT -5 brandienee said:

This is what happened for me:

I asked for the script.

My Nurse Practitioner made the script, faxed a copy over to tricare. Then faxed it over to a local medical supply company.

Med Supply company called me the next day and gave me pump options, I chose one and they sent someone out the next day with the pump.

NBD.

I would have loved to have been able to buy it myself with some other accessories, but this way was efficient enough for me to have no complaints. I got it 3 days after the script was made.

You can definitely buy it now and get reimbursed, but yeah, I would talk to your pedi for the script.

What kind did you get? What were the different options? I've been considering the spectra s2

I got the Calipso by Ardo. But the Spectra s2 sounds great too. (I wasn't offered the Spectra)

I liked the Calipso because it has a smaller footprint; I can easily put it into a bag and go and can be run with batteries. (Which is great, because we are PCSing soon) It has good reviews and if I need replacement parts, they are easy to get from Amazon.

[G22]

Aug 5, 2015 14:13:06 GMT -5 beans said:

Aug 5, 2015 12:11:36 GMT -5 brandienee said:

This is what happened for me:

I asked for the script.

My Nurse Practitioner made the script, faxed a copy over to tricare. Then faxed it over to a local medical supply company.

Med Supply company called me the next day and gave me pump options, I chose one and they sent someone out the next day with the pump.

NBD.

I would have loved to have been able to buy it myself with some other accessories, but this way was efficient enough for me to have no complaints. I got it 3 days after the script was made.

You can definitely buy it now and get reimbursed, but yeah, I would talk to your pedi for the script.

What kind did you get? What were the different options? I've been considering the spectra s2

This is the one I'm considering also.